Time to Protect, Time to Kill
by NineHundredThirteen
Summary: Naruto is an Assassin. That is his element. But what happens when his boss, Itachi, makes Naruto take a Bodyguard assignment. The person he's supposed to guard, Uchiha Sasuke. NARUSASU yaoi- Updated!
1. Chapter 1

Time to Protect, Time to Kill

Chapter One

A/N: Story is AU,(Alternate Universe),will contain Yaoi, mainly Naruto/Sasuke, Violence, Language, and Future Limes and Lemons.

A/N 2: Story was Edited on 2/27/12

Disclaimer: This is the only disclaimer I am putting up. I don't own Naruto (Oh, how I wish). This story is for fun, no kind of profit except self-pleasure, I just borrow the characters but I do own the plot.

…

Enjoy!-

…

"So…" Naruto began, his clear blue eyes darting from side to side. He let out a nervous laugh as his hand came to scratch the back of his neck where a few locks of blond hair was tickling him. "I don't understand."

The man across the room didn't let his aggravation show on his face. He merely interlocked his fingers on the desk and narrowed his dark eyes. "What exactly don't you understand, Uzumaki?"

Naruto's eyes widened and he pointed an accusing finger. "What the hell, Itachi! What did I do to deserve being called '_Uzumaki.'_" The blond lowered his hand and folded them across his chest. "You always call me '_Kyuubi'_ or '_Fox'_, or even _'Naruto._' But calling me '_Uzumaki,_'" Naruto's lips began to quiver as the words came out as nothing but mumbles. "You make it sound like we mean nothing to each other."

Itachi's eye twitched. Naruto smirked.

"Look all joking aside, since I can see your serious," Naruto began in a professional voice. "I must remind you that I'm an ASSASSIN, not a BODYGUARD."

Itachi leaned back into his leather seat, eyes locked with Naruto's. "You're the only one I trust with this assignment."

The blond let his eyes soften as he stared at Itachi. Even though the long-dark-haired man said it plainly and emotionlessly, he knew that it took a lot of trust for him to say that. And who was he to decline?

With a defeated sigh Naruto simply stated, "Folder."

Itachi smirked, in that irritating way, and handed the blond the blue folder that was innocently resting on the edge of the desk.

Opening the folder Naruto read a few facts out loud. "Lets see, 'Uchiha Sasuke', 22 years old, student- Wait does that mean I have to attend classes as well?"

Itachi reached behind him and pulled out another folder handing it to Naruto who sulked. "Inside will be your class schedule, also Sasuke's, and your new apartment location and key. The apartment is about five minutes away from Sasuke and about 20 minutes away from the University."

After a few minutes of skimming the files and asking Itachi a few questions, Naruto put the folders under his arm and got up to leave.

"And Kyuubi," Itachi began, falling back on Naruto's code name, "don't fall in love."

Naruto quirked his head to the side, a sly smile forming on his lips. "Ah, don't worry Itachi, you know I only have eyes for you."

Itachi frowned. "You are dismissed, Uzumaki."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll update you once I get settled and make contact with the target."

"Subject" Itachi corrected.

A spark of confusion lit his blue eyes, but it quickly died. In this mission Naruto didn't have a _target _because he was no longer an assassin. No, right now he was a bodyguard and he only had a _subject. _Naruto gave a professional nod and left the office.

…

It was a hot day. The sun shined so brightly that it made the skin on Naruto's arms burn and itch so he took refuge underneath a tree. He sat at a bench and sat comfortably in the shade, the tanned-blue-eyed-blond-Assassin-turned-Bodyguard sat quietly sipping on a cold milkshake. He was bored. But his boredom quickly faded away as his target, I mean _subject, _came into view.

Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Itachi's younger brother.

Naruto watched as Sasuke reached a vending machine that was located against the wall of a building that was the university. Naruto noticed that Sasuke was shorter than Itachi and about the same height as himself, give or take an inch. He watched with amazement at how the causal movement of ordering a drink can seem so graceful.

Uchiha Sasuke carried himself well. He was so much like his brother, but not. Itachi's movements were straight and cold, almost robotic at times. But Sasuke was smooth and full of life. Naruto smiled at the weird duck-butt hair style, but strangely enough it suited him.

Pale skin, slender frame, dark eyes. Damn this guy was gorgeous! Naruto frowned as he realized where his train of thoughts were leading him. It had been awhile since he had found anyone attractive. And this wasn't just anyone. This was his boss' little brother! Although he always joked and flirted with Itachi and anyone he came in contact with. Be it woman or man. Its been a while since he really meant the words that fell from his flirtatious tongue. Naruto just liked to be friendly. He liked to see how others reacted to certain words or looks. It was like a private game. But even that game had lately started to become dull.

Watching Sasuke, made Naruto's fingers twitch and his mouth slightly open and close. How was it like to talk to him? How will he react?…

Naruto grinned, no time like the present to find out!

The blond jumped out of his seat, threw his empty milkshake container into a nearby trashcan, and jogged until he fell into step beside Sasuke who was making his way into the University. After a few steps the raven finally threw a glance his way but showed no other sign of acknowledgment as he passed through a set of doors and into the medical wing.

"Hey! My name is Uzumaki Naruto!" Naruto didn't find no fault in using his real name. In his line of work people only knew him by his code name, Kyuubi. Plus, if his enemies ever did find out his real name it wasn't like he had a private life they could interrupt. Naruto saw Sasuke glance at him once more and make a sound in the back of his throat that could have been an acknowledgement but Naruto wasn't sure. The raven took a sharp turn into a hallway lined with classrooms and Naruto followed with raising anger when he realized he was being ignored. He did not like being ignored. "Hey bastard, when someone gives them their name, you're supposed to share yours too!"

Sasuke turned another corner and Naruto didn't hesitate to follow.

"Well?" Naruto asked after counting to twenty in his had.

Sasuke gave him another sideways glance but said nothing. He had actually quickened his step. '_That's it!_' Naruto thought as his hand gripped the raven's upper arm, yanking him so that they faced each other. Sasuke was glaring but it didn't bother Naruto. He knew that glare and he had became immune to it after Itachi had became his boss.

After a few seconds of staring at each other, Naruto's anger began to fade and he found himself entranced by those dark eyes that seemed to be trying to burn him alive. After a few more seconds, Naruto couldn't help himself, he really, really couldn't. He slightly leaned forward, making Sasuke take a step back so that he hit the opposite wall. Then moving his hands so that they rested on either side of Sasuke's head, he made sure the raven couldn't escape.

Sasuke followed the movement and narrowed his eyes. Naruto gave what he knew was a sultry smile and whispered lowly. "Tell me your name." Naruto leaned in closer and spoke deeper. "I want to know what I'll be whispering in your ear when I'm pounding into that deliciously tight ass of yours"

If Sasuke was surprised he didn't show it.

"Well?" Naruto prompted as his mouth got close enough to Sasuke's ear that he just wanted to take it between his teeth and tug. He was about to act on the impulse, but a sharp pain in his gut caught him off guard and he staggered back.

The raven-haired beauty scoffed and stated. "As if moron. Now I don't want to see your face again." And he walked away turning at the next corner.

…

Sasuke was in class but for once he wasn't listening to the lecture. He already knew the material anyway and this professor taught too slowly for his taste. Even though Sasuke tried not to think about it, his thoughts kept drifting back to the blond. Never had anyone hit on him so openly and daringly. Especially after giving them his Death Glare.

Sasuke frowned and once again blocked out the unwanted thoughts.

The blonds' smile and the way that deep voice had sent an unmistakable shiver down Sasuke's spine. It made the raven recall how that hot breath felt on his neck.

No, he had to forget about it.

The blonds' blue eyes were so bright and lively, and that tall muscular frame was perfect.

No, goddamn it!

The way those naughty words fell from that mouth…

"Damn it!" Sasuke hissed. He put a hand on his temple and dragged it through his dark locks. He couldn't believe this was happening. Sasuke calmed himself down by thinking about it logically.

Yeah, the man hit on him. But he gets hit on everyday. Though that was a first seeing someone survive his Death Glare unscathed and continue to flirt. Although Sasuke hated to admit it, it was arousing the they the blond flirted. Usually when people attempted to flirt with him it was embarrassing and annoying.

Sure, the man was attractive, but then again a lot of people are attractive. Though this guy wasn't just attractive, he was hot. With his blond hair and blue eyes, which were brighter than anybody else's he has seen. He had such a sexy-aura-kind-of-feeling to him that was hard to ignore.

The blond-haired man at first seemed loud and childish. Sasuke smirked as he recalled the anger that flashed in his blue eyes when he was being ignored. But those blue eyes were captivating. It made him feel like they were the only two people left in the world.

Damn that sounded cheesy.

But it was true. It wasn't until Sasuke had punched the blond in the stomach that Sasuke noticed that several of his classmates were in the hallway and that they had stopped to watch their interaction.

Sasuke scoffed, trying to get rid of the queasy feeling in his stomach. But Sasuke didn't have to think about it any more, it was over. He was sure of that. Why was he so sure? Well, it was because that punch he had landed on the blonds' gut was backed with all his strength. The wind was knocked out of him and a large, sizable bruise would no doubt flare up. Not to mention he had called him a moron and told him that he never wanted to see his face again. The raven nodded his head agreeing with himself. '_Yup, that blond will never appear in front of me again.' _Sasuke found himself frowning.

…

A door was flung open and the sound of the doorknob crashing into the back wall resounded throughout the hallway of the apartment complex. A bright orange duffel bag, followed by black garbage bags, filled with clothes, went flying through the air, past the door to the inside of the empty apartment. Naruto then came staggering in, carrying one last bag, as he closed the door behind him using the back of his foot.

The blond gave his new apartment a once-over and shrugged. He couldn't give a shit. Over the many years that the blond had been working for the Underground Company KAGE he had moved into more apartments in more places then he could count. It was just another base of operations to him. Nothing else. He had no place to call home, and it was going to remain like that.

Naruto made his way to the living area and flopped down on the dark blue couch that luckily came with the otherwise empty apartment. He winched as the soreness in his stomach sparked. Naruto lifted up his shirt and was greeted with the blue-purple coloring of a bruise. For such a slender man, that Sasuke guy sure packed a punch. The blond was shocked to say the least. It had been awhile since he was caught off his guard. But he didn't mind the bruise and the resulting pain. He had had worse.

His thoughts traveled back to the time when he had gotten captured and was tortured for days on end. His bones shook from the memory of the pain and he quickly berated himself for it. It was a long time ago. At that time Itachi was a fellow colleague, he was the one who had eventually found and saved him from that hell hole. Shortly after that incident Itachi got promoted and Naruto had vowed to serve him. In the past Naruto was offered promotions and he always turned them down, always opting for the field then for sitting behind a desk. Before, Naruto was concerned about rank, always saying that he was going to run the company one day. But now, all he wanted to do was become the best, as long as people knew he was the best, he could care less about rank. After all, Naruto owed his life to Itachi and for that he would serve him until the day he died. Naruto nodded to himself absently. Protecting Itachi's younger brother would be repaying in kind.

With Itachi already on his mind, Naruto figured it was time to report in. Reaching into his cargo pants Naruto pulled out a slick orange-burnt colored cell phone. He flipped it opened and pressed the speed dial number to Itachi's office. The cell phone was secured with a private line that was completely protected from outside influences. State of the Art. And it was very handy. It saved Naruto a trip to the office, for he was able to give his full report over the phone. The secure line was also hooked up to his Laptop, so that he can have a visual conference with more than one member if needed, and for sending in written reports via a secure e-mail address. It was all very fascinating to Naruto, though he didn't understand most of it.

He had had the pleasure to meet the mastermind behind it all, and all the other handy gadgets that made life a thousand times easier. Nara Shikamaru. He was a good guy, a bit weird in which his lab was covered in cloud paintings. When Naruto had asked him about the clouds, he had gotten an earful about how they were formed and on all the different types of clouds. Who knew there were so many! Naruto learned to never bring up the subject again unless he had a couple of hours to spare. Shaking his head and chuckling to himself, he wondered where that lazy genius was now.

"Kyuubi!" said a voice loud enough that it made Naruto put distance between the phone and his ear.

"Um, what's up, Itachi?" Naruto heard a low growl from the phone.

"You spaced out, didn't you?" Came the straightforward question. Naruto could easily read the tone and he knew that Itachi wasn't pleased with him.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. You know how it is when I give my reports over the phone…"

"That's why I've told you, over and over again, to use the live link from your laptop."

"Ah, do you want to see my face that badly." Naruto cooed.

"Your report, Kyuubi." Itachi stated, effectively ending their little banter that has become a type of a ritual at the beginning of every report.

Naruto's voice also schooled to professionalism. "Yes, I have just entered my new apartment. I had made contact with Sasuke before he had entered his first class at the University."

Naruto heard a hesitating sound from Itachi. "How does he look? How…is he?"

A small smile formed on the blonds' face. Itachi hasn't seen his younger brother since he was eighteen years old. It was a long and sad story that had ripped the Uchiha family apart. Naruto couldn't make himself reminisce about it now. He had to focus on the present. "He looks good and I must say he's most definitely your brother." He heard Itachi chuckle from the other end. "A glare as sharp as a razor and a thousand-pound punch! Not to mention a real looker!" Silence flowed from the other end. "Um, Itachi?"

"What did you do?" Even though the voice sounded neutral, Naruto picked up on the accusing tone.

Naruto let out a nervous laugh. _'Shit, I should have been more careful, Itachi's going to kill me!' _"What do you mean?"

"Naruto."

Naruto's whole body shuddered. '_Damn, his mad.' _"N-Nothing much really,…it's just that he refused to introduce himself after I had introduced myself. That was rude of him, right? I thought it was rude. And he was ignoring me and I was getting mad. So I kinda grabbed him, you know- by the arm, so that I can have his attention. And he glared at me, you know. What can I say, I kinda… you know, oh how do I say this…I hit on him… He then punched me in the gut and walked away." Naruto took a deep breath, he tried not to blather it all out, but did anyways. Now, all that was left was to wait for Itachi's reaction.

Silence, and then, "You hit on him?"

The blond let out a squeak.

"Well I should of known, you hit on anything that walks on two legs."

"Hey!"

"Just remember what I said. Don't get attached. Don't fall in love."

Naruto rolled his eyes. Naruto had never fallen in love. And after seeing the horrors of this world he couldn't see how anybody could ever fall in love. The blond frowned, Itachi had never given him such a warning before, not to mention twice. But then again Naruto had never had a bodyguard mission. It was known that even the best of bodyguards had the tendency to get too friendly with their clients. "I don't know why you're so worried about that…but don't be." Naruto slouched further into the couch. "I will never fall in love."

Itachi made a sound of acknowledgment but said nothing more of the subject. "Report concluded, Kyuubi?"

Sitting up Naruto spoke into the phone firmly. "Yes, I will update in three days or if something of interest happens."

"Very well."

-End of Chapter one-


	2. Chapter 2

TTP, TTK

Chapter Two

Enjoy~

The sound of a garbage bag being torn open and stove pans falling on the smooth kitchen tiled floor echoed throughout the apartment. Naruto mildly wondered if the walls were soundproof. He shrugged and proceeded to throw the pans into the bottom cupboard.

"AHA!" Naruto wore a grin that threatened to tear his face in half as he held a precious object in front off him.

Boxed Ramen.

It wasn't as good as homemade Ramen, but he could live on it. Naruto's mouth watered as he prepared some water to boil. All of his actions stopped at the sound of a doorbell. The blond frowned and raked his mind for the possibilities. He couldn't think of anyone who would come over. He had just spoken to Itachi over the phone not ten minutes ago, giving his report. Plus, Itachi would never make a house call unless it was absolutely necessary. Straitening his back, so that he can be prepared for anything, he walked into the living area and swiftly zipped open one of his bags and pulled out a gun. He tucked it in the back of his pants and pulled his shirt over it. Naruto rolled his shoulders, you can never be too prepared.

He opened the apartment door, and was greeted with the sight of a pale-eyed girl who seemed to be around his age. The girls black-blue hair was long and tied back in a low ponytail. She wore simple clothes, but on her figure, they seemed flattering. Her pale-lavender eyes were glancing down the hallway but she quickly meet Naruto's blue eyes when she heard the door open.

Naruto knew right away that the girl was harmless, so he gave her his most brilliant smile. The dark-haired girl took a sharp intake of breath and the small plate, covered in foil paper, that she was carrying in her hand, fumbled and slipped.

Naruto, with his quick reflexes, caught the plate before it could shatter on the floor. The girl brought a hand to her mouth, in such a cute way, and stuttered out an apology.

"Oh, I-I'm so sor-sorry!" Her cheeks dusted red.

Naruto let out a chuckle, and smiled. "No harm done." Naruto looked at her and she was staring right back in a bewildered aw. Naruto smile widened. "Is this for me, Miss…?"

"Hinata!" The girl exclaimed. Her cheeks went a darker shade of red. "My-my name is Hyuuga Hinata."

"Hinata, huh?" the blond slowly said. "What a nice name."

Hinata looked like she was about to faint. She managed a small nod.

Naruto took a small step forward and watched as the blush spread to her neck. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I assume that you're my new neighbor?"

She nodded again.

"Is this a welcoming-to-the-apartment present?" The blond asked, gesturing to the plate, his voice lowering just a little bit so that he can draw in the blue-black haired girl closer.

She nodded absently, her head leaning closer so that to hear the blond.

"Thank you, Hinata." Naruto whispered as he swept in and gave her an appreciative kiss on the cheek.

A raw noise escaped her throat. Her pretty head snapping back from overload and promptly fainting. Naruto was about to catch her. But someone else beat him to it. Naruto looked up from his slightly bended position and was meet with a different pair of lavender-pale eyes. His deep voice filled Naruto's ears in a threatening way. "What do you think you're doing to my cousin?"

Naruto looked at the man and then to Hinata who was laying limp in the dark-haired mans arms. There was definitely a resemblance, no doubt about that. Naruto gave a shy smile. "Sorry, I guess I was just teasing her, I didn't mean for her to faint."

The man raised an eyebrow in a way that reminded him of Itachi. "Hinata can be shy at times, but this is also a first that I have seen her faint so severely."

Naruto nodded innocently. "The name is Uzumaki Naruto."

"Hyuuga Neji."

"I'm new to the complex and I think she was bringing me a gift." The blond raised the hand that had the plate of unknown goods.

"Yes, I know. I live at the apartment to your left and Hinata lives on the one to your right."

Naruto gave a genuine smile, his friendly nature shining through. "Good to meet you, neighbor!"

Neji returned the smile. "And you." Neji readjusted his hold on Hinata, picking her up bridal style. " I must go."

Naruto agreed. "Please tell Hinata 'thank you' for the gift." Neji gave a terse nod and left.

Closing the door after they were gone, Naruto put the plate on the table. He was still smiling. _'This apartment complex isn't so bad after all.' _Thought Naruto as he peeked through the foil paper. "Cookies!"

…

In one quick movement, Sasuke pulled the keys from his pocket and locked the door to his apartment. As soon as the clicking sound of the lock was heard, the door next to his swung open dramatically. A red-headed girl shouted Sasuke's name in glee and she rushed over to hug him. Sasuke expertly dodged the red-head named Karin and she plummeted to the ground in an ungraceful sprawl. Not once did Sasuke glance her way and he proceeded down the hallway and into the elevator before Karin could get up.

Sasuke didn't know whether to sigh or roll his eyes as he watched Karin comically-furiously crawl toward the elevator in an attempt to reach it before it closed and descended. She never could make it. Well no, there _was_ that one time where she had her head halfway in, and her hands gripped onto the elevator doors trying to push them apart. Sasuke had to step on her hands to get her to let go and when that didn't work he kicked her on the side of the head. Sasuke shook his head in dismay. Why did he continue to live in this apartment when he could easily move? Stepping out of the elevator, into the lobby, then outside to the sidewalk- Sasuke recalled why. The apartment was the closest to the University he went to.

Sasuke got into a peaceful stride and he kept his eyes forward. That was until a flicker of blond hair showed up in his perceptual view. Ever since yesterday he found himself unconsciously scanning the halls and classrooms for that blond-haired guy that called himself Naruto. Every time he spotted blond hair, the Uchiha had gone out of his way to view the face. It was never him and Sasuke was getting irritated. Again he didn't know if he was getting irritated because it wasn't Naruto or because he was hoping it was Naruto.

Sasuke had decided to ignore it. But the source of blond hair from the corner of his eye kept coming closer and it fell into a casual step beside him. "Hey."

It was Naruto.

Sasuke wasn't sure what to think. He was surprised, that was for sure. This guy must be a moron or a glutton for punishment. But Sasuke couldn't help but inwardly smirk.

…

Naruto waited patiently on the corner of the block where he knew Sasuke was to pass. Naruto kept glancing at his watch so that he could record the precise moment Sasuke would pass. If this Sasuke was anything like his brother then he was one for scheduled time. Naruto would record, right to the second, the time Sasuke takes to walk to school. It was an important reference that might come in handy.

The blond immediately spotted the dark-haired, twenty-two year-old, and scoffed as he saw the people on the street part like the red sea. Sasuke walked like a man with purpose, and the people on the sides, old and young, gawked openly.

'_No wonder the guy is such a bastard. He's probably used to being treated like a living god all the time.' _Naruto thought and then inwardly laughed as he thought about how Itachi was practically treated the same way. Except Itachi was treated like a living devil, and the crowd trembled and parted in fear. But Naruto understood why, Itachi was the deadliest shot in the company. No one would dare block his path.

With a shake of his head Naruto abandoned his mussing and went to talk to Sasuke. Even though on this mission Naruto was supposed to be an observer, a shadow, he just couldn't get himself to stay back and be idle. Matching Sasuke's stride, Naruto gave a bright smile as their eyes locked momentarily. "Hey."

The youngest Uchiha seemed mildly surprised to see him again but he did not speak.

"What a coincidence seeing you here!"

"Hn. Coincidence indeed."

Naruto's smile didn't falter. He walked closer beside Sasuke, the back of their hands making brief contact. "You know,…I still haven't gotten your name."

"Hn."

"I cant possibly go around calling you 'Hey'." Naruto saw the University building come into view. "Perhaps some sort of _pet name, _should be arranged?" The blond inwardly smirked as he saw a scowl etch on Sasuke's features.

Naruto walked ahead of Sasuke and started walking backwards so that they were face to face. "How about '_sweet stuff' _Sasuke glared. "No? Then '_hot stuff'" _They reached the university doors and came to a halt. Naruto blocking the door with his body preventing Sasuke from getting around him. "I got it!" The blond leaned in closer, a breath away from one another. "_Baby._"

Sasuke's fist snapped and he aimed for the blonds' gut just as last time.

Naruto expertly caught his wrist. "No, no, _baby, _the same move won't work on me twice."

With narrowed eyes, Sasuke pulled his hand away and he brushed past Naruto and into the building.

…

Outside the University's walls Naruto scouted the area and familiarized himself with each nook and cranny. Although he had the blueprints in his back pocket, he always did find the real thing so much better.

Naruto made sure to keep a watchful eye over the crowd of students. Any one of them could be an agent for the company that was after Sasuke. The blond sighed as he sat down on a bench that overlooked the court yard where a few students ate.

Itachi didn't give Naruto much information to work on. All he told Naruto was that a rivaling company of KAGE was after Sasuke. It wasn't that uncommon. After all, Sasuke was the only way the enemy can seem to get even close to Itachi. There were times in the past when Itachi had planted bodyguards and spies to prevent anything from happening to Sasuke. To this day Sasuke remained utterly oblivious to the dangers around him. And Itachi wanted it to remain that way.

Naruto huffed. This time was different then all the others. Naruto could feel it. There was no way Itachi would put Naruto on Sasuke's clock unless someone really dangerous was after him.

Why Itachi withheld information, Naruto did not know. Right now he had to keep an eye out for any and all threats. The blond stood up and stretched his arms out to the sky. He then gave a flirtatious smile and a wink to a group of girls who promptly blushed. After giving a few more girls, and also a few guys, a devastating smile he made his way to the University's main building.

He had to inspect all the classrooms that the raven had classes in. He also gave all the professors a once over and made sure to note a few characteristics about each of them so that he could evaluate it later. It was nearing Sasuke's last class of the day and Naruto decided not to join him.

Firstly, Naruto didn't want Sasuke to get suspicious of him right away by suddenly showing up in one of his regular classes. Naruto will enter in the new quarter and make it look like a coincidence. Plus it was still early in the game and Sasuke was in no immediate danger. Naruto will stick to the hallways and the outside walls for the mean time. He needed to get into a comfortable pace. But the blond wasn't too sure if he was doing everything right. He was an assassin, and the act of a bodyguard was hard to grasp. His fingers were inching to kill something.

Leaning against a tree, Naruto watched as Sasuke exited the university medical building and being the walk back to his apartment. Looking at his watch Naruto noted the time. 5:06 pm.

He has been following Sasuke to each of his classes, and now he was following him home. God, Naruto hated being a bodyguard. Naruto expertly kept himself hidden. No untrained man would know Naruto was there. Even if Sasuke was Itachi's brother. He was still untrained. And Naruto would never give himself away.

Sasuke entered his apartment at 5:21 pm and didn't come out for the rest of the night.

…

Morning came all too fast for Naruto. After spending most of the night outside Sasuke's apartment he only got a couple of hours of sleep. The blond bathed and dressed and was on his way out the door. Upon locking his door, the apartment to his right opened and out stepped Hyuuga Hinata.

Naruto smiled but then his eyebrows furrowed when he suddenly realized something. '_Hyuuga? Wasn't 'Hyuuga' the name of the big enterprise downtown.' _Naruto took the girls features in. '_Of course! The trademark pale-lavender eyes, pale skin, the bluish-black hair. Hinata's the heir of the Hyuuga clan. But what is she doing here?_'

When Hinata's lavender-pale eyes meet Naruto's cerulean ones. She visibly paled. "N-Naruto-kun!"

"Good morning, Hinata!"

Hinata took a brave step forward and lowered her head. "I'm sorry!"

Naruto kindly waved it off, "No, I should be the one to say I'm sorry. I must of scared you."

"No! it wasn't that." Her pretty cheeks turned crimson.

Naruto gave a pleased smile. "Then I must say thank you. Those cookies were delicious, Hinata-chan!"

Hinata's head fogged with the way Naruto said her name. "T-Thank you."

Naruto said farewell and Hinata mumbled out hers as Naruto turned and left.

…

Just as Naruto predicted, Sasuke was a stickler for time. He left his apartment at the same time he did yesterday. The blond watched as the raven disappeared down the street. For a second Naruto was tempted to walk up to him and tease him again. But today Naruto had to restrain from the enjoyment. Today, Naruto was going to break into Sasuke's apartment.

-End of Chapter two-

NHT- Thank You For Reading!


	3. Chapter 3

TTP,TTK

Chapter Three

LAST TIME-

Just as Naruto predicted, Sasuke was a stickler for time. He left his apartment at the same time he did yesterday. The blond watched as the raven disappeared down the street. For a second Naruto was tempted to walk up to him and tease him again. But today Naruto had to restrain from the enjoyment. Today, Naruto was going to break into Sasuke's apartment.

…

Walking into the lobby, he went straight to the mail boxes that were littered on the wall. Naruto smiled to himself, when a person walks with the air of purpose, no one questions them. Naruto located Sasuke's mail box and opened it. You can learn a lot from someone's mail. Naruto stared with amusement at the number of love letters that were inside, it threatened to overflow. Reaching a hand in Naruto pulled out a single note and chuckled.

It had frantic writing, smelled of perfume, with kiss stains, and was that a _piece of hair_…! Naruto put it in his back pocket, he could examine it later. Surly Sasuke wouldn't notice that one letter was gone. The blond chuckled again, his laughter threatening to grow into a full blown booming laugh. But luckily he contained himself. His thoughts traveled back to the time when Itachi and him were co-workers. Itachi, arriving at the company and finding his desk plagued with chocolates on Valentines Day. The blond never did understand how a person with the aura-of-death around them can have so many women yearning for his love. Perhaps it was an Uchiha thing. He walked to the elevator, pushed the button, and patiently waited.

In the elevator, Naruto whistled a small tone as he watched the numbers on top- light up one by one. An old lady, being the other only occupant in the elevator, was glaring a hole in the back of Naruto's blond head. Naruto's happy whistling did nothing to cool her bad day.

The elevator stopped on the third floor and Naruto stepped out. Before leaving Naruto gave her a blinding smile and said a polite farewell. The old lady forgave the blond instantly.

Heading down the corridor, Naruto's steps slowed and his whistling stopped. The blond did not only follow Sasuke's movement but the movements of his immediate neighbors. He needed to be able to avoid them while slipping in Sasuke's apartment. The only one that he couldn't avoid was Sasuke's left neighbor.

It was a red-head by the name of Karin and she was an unpredictable variable. Oh, how Naruto hated unpredicted variables. Naruto walked, with no sound to his step, to Sasuke's door. 3-2. He pulled out a copy of Sasuke's key and gently pushed the door open.

Naruto's blue eyes scanned the dark room. Nothing suspicious. He stepped inside. Upon the door closing behind him, he heard a nearby door slam open and footsteps approaching. The person abruptly opened Sasuke's door and shouted. "Did you forget something, Sasuke?" It was the red-headed neighbor.

Before being spotted, Naruto's back was to the wall in the shadows. Karin's eyebrows furrowed. "Sasuke?"

Naruto, now in _agent _mode, moved swiftly, for Karin was about to turn on the lights. He came up behind her, lifted a hand with the attempt to knock her out.

Karin, it seems, wasn't a regular girl. She had somehow _sensed _that Naruto was behind her. She blocked his initial attack and she spun around. Naruto, one to easily adapt, even to an unforeseen talented enemy, stopped her spin and locked her in a sleeper hold. And what can I say, she struggled like a bitch. Naruto was cool as a cucumber. This right here, combat, was his element and he thrived in it. She fell unconscious and Naruto laid her down on the apartment floor.

Naruto let his muscles relax. All was ok. She didn't get a look at him. The blond looked down at her and sighed. Oh, how he hated unpredictable variables.

Sasuke's apartment was plain and neat. A desk here, a small table with books there, everything was so impersonal. All in all, it did not seem that the apartment belonged to a guy who has lived here for almost three years. Naruto gave a shake of his head. Moving further into the apartment Naruto came to the kitchen. Food was nicely placed in the cupboards and the frig was packed with what seemed like a week's worth. He must make his own food and eat in.

Naruto then went to the bedroom. Dark blue painted walls and a crisp medium-sized bed, probably Queen, settled in the far left corner. But the thing that caught his eye was a picture frame that sat on a small table that was by the closet.

The frame sat there with the stiffness of a statue and Naruto didn't touch it. The blond had noticed that dust had settled and it would be noticed if he disturbed it. Bending forward, Naruto peered at the photo with rising interest. It was a picture of the Uchiha family.

A serious looking man with dark hair stood with a hand on the shoulder of his wife. The wife had a gentler looking face and she smiled kindly at the camera, with her hand laid on top of her husband's. Two young boys stood together upfront . The older one, which Naruto knew was Itachi, was looking at the camera with a serious look that matched his fathers. The youngest son, Sasuke, which looked to be around six at the time, had a joyful smile on his face as he also looked at the camera. It looked like the picture of a perfect family.

Naruto sighed as he stood up straight. Perhaps at that time it was the perfect family, but right now it was torn and broken. The blond mildly wondered if Itachi also had a family picture. Itachi never kept anything personal in his office and he had never been to the others' apartment. Naruto gave another shake of his head.

Naruto gave the picture another glance and then a glance around the room. He somehow knew that Sasuke was a much more feeling person than he appeared to be.

It didn't take Naruto more than five minutes to finish what he had set out to do. He tapped all the phones, so he could monitor call and messages, to make sure there were no vocal threats. He hid bugs, and installed small sensors so that he knew which room Sasuke was in at all times. Naruto had pulled and removed other bugs and monitors from Sasuke's past guards and replaced them with his own. He did not want to rely on a system that could end up being faulty. Naruto trusted his system, a system that was provided by the company genius, Shikamaru, himself.

After all was complete, Naruto dusted himself off and looked at the unconscious Karin who was still laying on the floor of Sasuke's apartment. '_Oh, what to do…?' _Naruto mussed. He knew that he should take it more seriously but it all seemed so funny to him. Karin was a serious threat to his case, but Naruto couldn't help but wave it off.

He pondered, a tan hand coming up to scratch at his blond locks. "I got it!" He said aloud. Naruto started chuckling to himself again as he pulled out the Love Letter that was downstairs in the mailbox. He looked at the letter one last time, a grin on his face, and he threw it on the floor in plain sight.

To Sasuke it would just appear like a crazed fan girl entered the room. And Karin, she seemed to have no qualms to entering the apartment herself- So the story was that a crazed fan girl broke into the apartment to deliver her letter. Karin came over to see if it was Sasuke and she got attacked by the mighty strength of the crazed fan girl!

Naruto shrugged his shoulders. It seemed believable enough to him. All in all it didn't matter, nothing could led back to Naruto. Plus, if Sasuke found that someone entered his apartment he will be on alert. Well here's hoping…

The blonds grin returned and he happily whistled as he existed the apartment. He left the door wide open. Karin's body limp on the floor and the innocent letter in plain sight.

"_This bodyguard gig isn't so bad…" _was Naruto's simple thought.

…

Naruto was back at the University and Sasuke was safely at his class. Endlessly the blond roamed around the grounds for a good hour and he finally settled on sitting on a table in the courtyard. He still had thirty minutes to waste before Sasuke's class ended.

Naruto rested his head on his hands and watched as the students studied. Only two days were left until the quarter ended and another one began. Naruto will began taking his classes with Sasuke. The blond inwardly smirked. So many more opportunities to tease Sasuke will be available. Naruto couldn't wait.

"Hey, I haven't seen you here before."

Naruto turned and was face to face with a guy. He had brown shaggy hair and upside-down red triangles tattooed on his face. "Ah, yeah I'm new."

The brown-haired man gave an impish smile and sat down on the table, opposite of Naruto, so that they were facing each other. "My name is Kiba," he said with a friendly air. He opened a brown paper bag that Naruto guessed contained his lunch.

The blond gave his signature smile and said, "My name is Naruto."

"What's your major?" Kiba asked as he took a bite out of his sandwich.

Naruto recalled Sasuke's major, he will, of course, be having the same major. "Medicine."

"Of course its Medicine. This is a Medical School after all" the brunettes' posture seemed to slump. "I wanted to be a vet though, my sister's the one taking over the family business so my parents made me pursue another career."

Naruto easily related to the not-having-a-say life. If it was up to Naruto, he wouldn't have become an assassin. Even though Naruto thoroughly enjoyed his work, he sometimes wished he had a normal life. The talk was casual and friendly, Naruto liked it. Although he talked to a lot of people, people didn't really talk _to_ him. With the promise to meet again. The blond and the brunette exchanged goodbyes and Naruto hurried to catch Sasuke between classes.

…

Sasuke grumbled under his breath as he existed class. Was he the only one who wasn't an idiot? Sasuke's hatred for this school magnified after that class, that was for sure. Looking forward he saw the blond-haired man named Naruto make his way toward him. Sasuke grumbled under his breath again. The blond didn't appear all morning. And Sasuke, well he will never admit it, even to himself, was disappointed. Sasuke glared as the blond walked down the hall and toward Sasuke. '_He just comes and goes as he pleases doesn't he?' _

"Hey, _baby._" The blonde said with a foxy smile.

"Don't call me that." Sasuke glared again, hoping to scare off the blond, no such luck.

"But you still haven't told me your name." Naruto whined.

Sasuke was nearing his next class and Naruto stepped in front of him making Sasuke stop in mid-step and the multiple students around them struggle to get by. "If you don't like _baby_, it could be _sexy, _or _honey." _The blond said with a low voice while entering his personal bubble.

Sasuke stared at him. The raven knew that Naruto will just block any punch he threw, so he did the next best thing. Even though it was childish and stupid. Sasuke stomped on Naruto's foot.

"Ow! Bastard!" Sasuke couldn't help it when the corner of his lips twisted up. "My foot! You know what, '_bastard' _will do just nicely for you!"

Sasuke continued to stare at him with an amused smirk on his face. "Will you kindly get the fuck out of my way?" The raven asked, still amused but letting a bit of his annoyance enter his tone.

Naruto glared and leaned in just a tad closer. "Tell me your name."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the demand. "Will you leave me alone if I tell you?" The blonds face gave nothing away. "It's Sasuke, Uchiha Sasuke, now leave me alone." Sasuke tried to walk around the blond but the idiot blocked him.

"Hmm, _Sasuke_, yummy." He let the name roll off his tongue.

Sasuke went for the foot again. But the blond dodged. Sasuke easily passed him this time and went to class. He could still feel Naruto's gaze as he turned the corner.

…

The last class of the day always went fast for Sasuke. The raven sat in his chair, ignoring the rambling of the girl next to him, his pencil tapping on his paper. He still couldn't believe that he gave the blond his name. Sasuke snorted, the blond probably already knew his name, everyone knew his name, Naruto just wanted Sasuke to tell him. And he did. Sasuke frowned.

The girl next to him took the frown as an agreement to whatever she was saying and she renewed her one-sided conversation with enthusiasm. If Sasuke was prone to impulses he would of let his head crash onto his desk.

The raven stared at the professor at the front of the class. There was only two days left of classes, so everything was pretty much a review. Sasuke had his thesis done, and there was nothing to occupy his time. Except think about the blond, but Sasuke refused to do that.

The bell finally rang and Sasuke, relieved, walked out of class. That was after of course declining invitations from a few female classmates. The raven freely rolled his eyes. Sometimes he thought he should just shout out that he was gay. But then, the invitations that he would be turning down will then be invites to go shopping and other such things.

He was outside quickly and he turned and headed for his apartment. For awhile now he had felt as though someone was watching him and following him. But it was only mildly and he didn't sense any dangerous vibes. So Sasuke let it slide and preceded home. Everything was pretty much normal except when he stood in front of his apartment door.

'_This is new.' _Sasuke thought as he took in everything. His door was wide open. Karin was laying on the floor, apparently unconscious. And a not so innocent love letter seemed to sparkle from it's place on the floor. Sasuke rubbed the bridge of his nose. What was this the…fifth time? The raven took a look at his lock and found that it wasn't forced in any way. '_I'm going to have to switch locks again.' _

Sasuke, not so gently, kicked Karin awake. That was also what was so weird about this. Karin was a black belt and Sasuke knew first hand how strong she was. After all, they had went to the same high school and were on the same team. They took first place at Nationals. So yeah,…this was very new. Usually Sasuke would come home to find some random girl, unconscious on the floor, with Karin smiling from the sidelines. It seemed like things reversed on him.

"Uhhh," Karin moaned.

Sasuke nudged her with his foot again.

"Wha-What, Sasuke?"

"Karin."

"Ah!" She sat up and looked around frantically. "Someone was here, Sasuke!"

"I gathered." The raven said as he walked around Karin and picked up the love letter off the ground. Sasuke took in the crazed fan girl writing and the obsessed style of the letter. "Just a fan girl."

Karin got up to her full height and said with a seriousness that Sasuke had forgotten she could possess. "No, it wasn't a fan girl." The red-head seemed to pace the room. "It was a guy, a really strong and _talented _guy! He broke my spin and put me in a sleeper hold with ease!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps you were just careless."

Karin repeatedly shook her head. "No."

Sasuke held up the love letter. "How do you explain this? It was a fan girl, although she could of probably had some help."

"I know of nobody around here who could fight at our level, Sasuke. This guy is probably on a higher level even."

Sasuke stared at her for a few seconds. He finally huffed and threw the letter into the waste basket. "It doesn't matter."

"But-"

"I said it doesn't matter, Karin." There was a finality in his voice that Karin couldn't oppose. "Leave."

She dumbly nodded and left.

Sasuke closed the door and took a look around his apartment. Nothing seemed out of place. He really didn't have anything that was worth stealing anyways. He went to his kitchen to get something to eat. '_Karin was just careless. That was all.' _

_-End of Chapter Three-_

_NHT_


	4. Chapter 4

Time to Protect, Time to Kill

Chapter Four!

…

The span of a week came and went too quickly. Naruto finally got a good pace on this Bodyguard gig.

"Hey, Sasuke!" Naruto- loudly- greeted, as he set his books down on the desk beside Sasuke's. Sasuke turned his head to face Naruto's flirtatious smile. "I still can't believe we have the same classes! Such good luck!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes as Naruto sat down on the seat beside his, watching as the blond spread his legs below to get comfortable. "Not my choice of words…"

Naruto pouted, his blond hair looking windblown as though he ran all the way to class, which he probably did. "You're so mean, Sasuke-baby."

Sasuke growled. "We done now? Do we have to do this every time class starts? And don't call me that."

The blond grinned, his row of white teeth showing. "Of course we do! Like a friend of mine likes to say- 'We must enjoy our springtime of youth!'"

Sasuke wasn't sure how to reply to that comment every time Naruto said it. He simply shrugged and faced the front of the classroom, determined to ignore Naruto but at the same time knowing that it was impossible. He could feel Naruto lean closer to him, not to mention hear the desk legs scrape across the floor as he pulled their desks closer together.

"Hey, Sasuke?"

"What?"

"Can I borrow your notes from yesterday?"

Sasuke readily glared. "No, I told you not to sleep in class."

"Aw,…come on. Please…" Naruto said with puppy dog eyes, his hands joined in front of him in a begging posture.

Sasuke quickly looked away. Those puppy-dog eyes were quickly turning into a personal weakness. The raven threw his notebook at Naruto's face. "Knock yourself out." Naruto caught the notebook in mid-air and he didn't get to hear the gratifying smack to the face, Naruto had good reflexes…damn.

Naruto's face brightened and he worked fast to copy them down before the lecture started.

While students were still filing into the classroom, the teacher at the front making work out of erasing the blackboard, Sasuke found himself staring. It was sorta cute the way Naruto's tongue darted out when he was writing. The way the blond's blue-eyes would dash back and forth as he read. How he would seem so engrossed and content in his own little world. Upon realizing that he was staring, Sasuke cussed under his breath and he looked away.

Classes now seemed just a little bit longer and more important when Naruto was with him. Ever since the new quarter started Sasuke found that Naruto was now in all of his classes. Sasuke recalled their first class together.

-FLASHBACK-

Sasuke let out a defeated sigh as he sat down. It was the first class of the new quarter and already he was dreading it. Sitting on both sides of him were two girls, each trying to win his attention. If this was how it was going be the first day of class. The following days, all quarter, will most likely follow suit.

A pink-haired girl was on his right, he had no idea what her name was because the one on his left only called her 'Billboard'. Sasuke glanced at the pink-head, it was certainly an appropriate name- My, what a large forehead.

On his left was a light-blonde-haired girl. Again, Sasuke had no idea what her name was, only that she resembled a pig. These two girls were most definitely invading his space and yelling on the top of their lungs, calling out threats and insults to each other with poor Sasuke stuck in the middle. Sasuke just about had enough and was about to speak up but someone beat him to it.

"Wow, I had no idea a pig can scream out obscenities like that! Perhaps we should warn people by posting it on this unused billboard? What do you think, Sasuke?"

Sasuke smirked at Naruto who was standing before him. "I think that's a great idea."

The two ladies readily screamed in horror, at being insulted, and ran out of the classroom. Naruto took one of the now empty seats beside Sasuke without hesitation.

"Hey, baby_._" Naruto said with an air of normalness.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing here? And don't call me that."

"What do you mean, 'What am I doing here?' I'm in this class. And such luck it is that we are in the same class!"

"Hn."

"Oh my, please hold down your enthusiasm- you're blinding me!"

"Moron."

Naruto grinned and Sasuke wasn't sure how to react. Though his insides seemed to flutter every time he and Naruto locked eyes. The raven scoffed and looked away. School sure has been different ever since Naruto appeared.

-END FLASHBACK-

School, Naruto thought, wasn't bad at all. The blond was home schooled, so he never experienced such a _public_ place of study. He learned things that no average person would know. Like how to put together a sniper rifle in under thirty seconds. He studied not out of books but out on the field. But, right here, in this university, with people his own age. It felt like a dream. Surreal. Like his past life was some kind nightmare, like he has been walking through the nine levels of hell and he has finally reached heaven. That may be exaggerating it a bit, but it was something to that effect.

And what made everything one hundred times better was that Sasuke was right there with him. Sasuke was unknowingly showing Naruto the ropes, how it was to be an average college student. How to be normal. But Naruto had to snap out of that trance. Because, that's what it was, a trance, a dream. He was here for a job, and that job was to protect Sasuke.

Naruto steeled his nerves as he looked at the five guys that were blocking the path. Sasuke and him had just finished their first class and were heading to the next. The class was on the other side of the school grounds and this particular path they choose to walk through was isolated.

The five guys approached Naruto and Sasuke with the intent to hurt. Naruto was now fully alert, but Sasuke, at his side, was strangely calm.

"Uchiha Sasuke!" Yelled the one who seemed to be the leader, stepping forward and pointing a finger with a snarl on his face.

"What do you guys want?" Sasuke asked coolly.

"You stole our girlfriends and we're here to beat the shit out of you!"

Naruto blinked. All this time he had figured that the rivaling company that was after Sasuke finally sent in some agents. And after almost a month, those agents were finally making a move. But…These guys weren't agents. They were merely fellow students who lost their girlfriends to become Sasuke's fan girls.

Beside him Sasuke snorted.

Naruto's tense muscles relaxed and a slow grin spread upon his face. "That's pathetic…" Naruto said a little too loudly.

The leader, of the mini gang, snarled. "You bastard!"

"Opps," Naruto said as he dodged a punch to his face. The others took that as cue and also started attacking.

Naruto began to laugh as he dodged a few more punches. Looking to the side he saw that Sasuke had everything under control. '_He must be used to this.'_ Naruto thought with a smirk. '_I think that's enough fun.' _Naruto concluded as he landed a hit to one of the guy's gut, affectedly knocking him out cold.

Beside him Sasuke kicked one in the chin. The result was that another one was down for the count.

Naruto grinned at Sasuke and Sasuke smirked. The last three guys that were left had their knees shaking and Naruto cracked his knuckles loudly. Sasuke took a step forward.

"It's not over yet!" One of the guys yelled as he pulled out a switchblade. The other two followed suit.

Naruto narrowed his eyes and charged. Blades were dangerous and Naruto hurried to end it before something serious happened. Naruto noted that Sasuke was charging right beside him. In one swift move Naruto disarmed two of them with a flick of the wrist. Sasuke took on the last one, breaking the wrist and kicking him to the ground.

They scurried and carried their wounded and left running.

Naruto sighed and shook his head. Even though those guys weren't agents they could still pose a threat. The blond felt eyes burrowing into the side of his head so he faced Sasuke's analyzing eyes. '_Crap, I think I used one of my moves when I disarmed those two guys.'_

"Where did you learn that?" Sasuke asked.

'_He doesn't beat around the bush does he.' _Naruto gave an awkward chuckle, his hand unconsciously reaching up to scratch the back of his neck. "Self defense classes?" He asked more than stated.

Sasuke stared at him for a few more seconds and then turned. "Come on, or we'll be late for class."

Naruto fell into step beside him and Sasuke felt that it was oddly normal- natural- for the blond to walk beside him. Even though the blond was whistling an annoying tune and walking a little too closely.

…

"Kyuubi."

"Reporting, Itachi." Naruto said plainly from his seat on the couch in his apartment. He felt tired, he always felt tired when he was giving his report. But part of that tiredness was a result of annoyance. Annoyance at Itachi.

Through the phone Naruto could hear Itachi shifting papers around. "Start report, Kyuubi," came Itachi's stoic voice.

"Right. It's been over two weeks and there still haven't been any signs of danger. No agents spotted."

"I see."

Naruto glowered, his annoyance reaching its peak. "Itachi, I need more information."

"About the rivaling company?"

"No, about what kind of gel Sasuke uses. Of course, about the rival company! You still haven't told me whose after Sasuke. How can I be prepared when I don't even know who the enemy is?"

"Be ready for anything, Naruto. As for their plans and time to attack, we are uncertain. Just be on your guard." Itachi said with authority.

Naruto was about to protest, to yell on how that made no sense. But he knew Itachi. Itachi wouldn't tell him anything until he saw fit and nothing Naruto said would change that. "Yes, boss."

Naruto could hear more papers shifting through the phone. Itachi has it hard with all that paper work. A sudden thought entered his head and he voiced it. "Hey! Did you know that Sasuke can fight?" Naruto asked, sitting up a little in anticipation.

"Yes, it's in your information folder. Do you ever read those things, Kyuubi? If you're really interested in which gel he uses it's in the folder as well."

"No way! I guess I should read that folder…"

"If you didn't read the folder, how did you know that Sasuke could fight? Did something happen? I thought you said that there was no agent activity." Itachi said a little miffed but Naruto could still hear the concern in his voice.

Naruto chuckled as he recalled the five guys that had ganged up on them. "No, they weren't agents. They were just these pathetic guys who had lost their girlfriends because of Sasuke." Naruto slouched back down on the couch, feeling some of the annoyance he had felt earlier slip away. "Easily taken care of, although it would be a pain if they came back. Sasuke held himself up well." Naruto narrowed his eyes and spoke seriously into the phone. "He would of made a great agent."

All movement stopped on the other end of the phone. Naruto could picture Itachi sitting at his desk, that serious face somehow becoming more serious. "Is that so…"

Naruto nodded his head even though Itachi couldn't see it, "Yeah. Most definitely."

Itachi let out what Naruto thought was a sigh. "Sasuke is still oblivious, although his capable. You need to watch over him."

Naruto fisted his hands and closed his eyes, steeling himself because what he was about to ask was very difficult. "Is the reason you're not telling me whose after Sasuke,…is because it's…"

"We're not sure if it's _him_." Itachi said, cutting Naruto off before he could say the name.

Naruto was silent. He then spoke slowly and clearly, letting Itachi know how resolute he was. "Do you remember what I said to you after you saved me from _him_?" Itachi was quiet, knowing that the question was rhetorical. "I said that anything regarding _him _would go through both our hands. That we would kill _him_ together, since we couldn't do it apart." Naruto tried to withhold the anger he felt creeping into his soul whenever _that_ man was mentioned. "If you know anything about _him, _you need to tell me."

Itachi said nothing and Naruto hung up the phone.

…

Naruto was still bristling after the talk with Itachi. The blond hated being kept in the dark. Especially when it involved _him. _The guy that was responsible for the death of many good agents and for Naruto's personal kidnapping and torture. His blue-eyes looked down at his fists, which were clenched so tightly that the skin of his palm started breaking. He cussed under his breath and went to the kitchen to run water on the new wound that was liberally bleeding.

Naruto closed his blue-eyes as the warm water washed the blood away. If that guy was really after Sasuke, then Naruto was perfect for the job. But then again, Sasuke was in great danger. Naruto's insides quaked as the memories of his torture resurfaced. Naruto's eyes squeezed tightly together. That horrible time of his life,…he would get _him _back for it.

Naruto wrapped a bandage around his palm. He knew that Itachi was withholding information, that it was probably for his own good, but either way that still didn't make it right. Naruto pulled out his cell phone and opened an application. The blond read the signals carefully. If anybody tried to enter Sasuke's apartment by force, Naruto would know right away. If more than one person were in the apartment, Naruto would know. If a struggle broke out, Naruto would know. Naruto was going to make sure that Sasuke wouldn't become _that guy's _victim. Nobody, ever, should experience what Naruto went through.

-End of Chapter Four.

A/N: Thank you all for reading, fav'ing, and reviewing!


	5. Extra: The Hyuuga Cousins

Time to Protect, Time to Kill

Extra chapter- Hyuuga cousins

A/N: Hello! This is initially how I was going to start Chapter Five but I decided against it. It's Naruto having lunch with the Hyuuga cousins. I had it all written out and after removing it from the chapter- I didn't want to totally delete it- so I decided to post it as an Extra Side Chapter. It's only about 1000 words but it answers the questions around the Hyuuga cousins.

…

"Um, N-Naruto-kun?"

Naruto had just got out of classes and was about to enter his apartment when Hinata-chan, from next door, spoke up.

"Ah, Hinata-chan!" Naruto faced her and grinned. The pale cheeks on the young woman's face turning scarlet. "What's up?"

The lavender-eyed raven slouched and she fiddled with her fingers. "Um,…I was w-wondering if y-you would like to g-get s-something to eat?" She then ever-so-slightly titled her head up to gaze at the blond man in front of her.

Naruto thought she was the cutest thing ever. But Naruto couldn't go out with such a delicate flower. He didn't want to hurt her or build up her hopes. The blond opened his mouth to decline but Hinata abruptly spoke.

"You're n-new here right? I c-can show y-you where some g-good restaurants a-are…"

A deep voice from behind them drew both their attention. "That's a good idea Hinata-san. I will go as well, and then all three of us could eat together." Neji walked up and stood beside a flustered Hinata. "Is that alright, Hinata-san? Uzumaki?"

Hinata seemed even more nervous. She looked down and gave a terse nod. "Yes, t-that's a g-good idea Neji-nii-san."

Naruto looked at the hard face of Neji. Neji was only doing his part to protect Hinata and to make the situation more comfortable. Cunning. The blond gave another face-splitting grin. "Please call me, 'Naruto', Neji. And I would love to go out to eat with you guys!" Naruto looked thoughtful. "I haven't looked around to find a good restaurant. Hey, do you know if they serve ramen anywhere?"

Neji raised an eyebrow while Hinata seemed to brighten up. "T-There is one. O-Only about a mile a-away."

"Really? Let go!"

…

Hinata's face was frozen with surprise. Neji looked disgusted and if not a little impressed. "Eleven bowls of ramen…" Neji said, his voice trialing off.

Naruto exclaimed. "Damn that was good! I haven't had such good ramen for ages!"

Hinata face softened and she smiled. "I'm glad you l-liked it, N-Naruto-kun."

Naruto returned the smile and took hold of Hinata's hand, bringing her close to him. "This was made possible only by you, Hinata-chan. You are truly a wonderful person."

Hinata's pretty face flared up and she felt faint. "T-T-Thank you, N-Naruto-kun…I n-need to go t-to the ladies r-room…" The raven-haired young women stood up on her shaky legs and headed for the restroom leaving Neji and Naruto alone at the table.

Naruto looked up at Neji. "Isn't she the cutest thing in the world?" The blond cooed with a goofy smile.

Neji continued to stare at Naruto. "What are your intentions, Uzumaki?" He asked seriously.

Naruto sat up straight, an indicant of his seriousness. " Neji, I told you to call me 'Naruto' and I have no intentions toward Hinata."

"…"

"I wasn't even planning to accept her invitation until you offered to come along." The blond gave a shrug. "Hinata is cute, but she deserves better than me." Naruto then relaxed into his seat. "Relationships with me only last for one night- if you know what I mean…" he wiggled his eyebrows in suggestion.

Neji kept his eyes locked with Naruto's. "I figured as much. But don't flirt with Hinata-san, she doesn't know better."

Naruto folded his arms over the table and gave a sigh. "I know. I'm sorry, okay? I won't go overboard." Naruto didn't remove his eyes from Neji.

"What?"

Naruto gave a sly smile and leaned forward. "You know,… even though women are alright- I prefer men." The blond noticeably raked his eyes over Neji's form.

Neji scoffed and turned his head away suddenly feeling embarrassed . "Impossible… "

"Because of Hinata-chan." Naruto finished.

Neji nodded. "She likes you."

Naruto slouched back down in his seat and heaved another sigh. The ramen was making him sleepy. "I thought as much. Ahhhahh, the Hyuuga cousins are off limits for me." Naruto said dramatically.

Neji gave a smile-like-smirk, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

"If you don't mind me asking…what are the Hyuuga cousins doing on this side of town?" Naruto finally asked, trying to fulfill his curiosity. The Hyuuga's were known to own a big enterprise that was located on the opposite side of town. To see the two possible heirs to such an enterprise this far away was odd.

The Hyuuga locked his pale-lavender-eyes with Naruto's brilliant blue but didn't answer.

"I w-wanted to go off on my own." Hinata replied, having come back from the ladies room and making her way back to her seat. She suddenly seemed solemn. Her stutter almost gone. "Father was against it. But I left anyway. N-Neji-nii-san came a-along."

"Uncle, kept sending people to bring Hinata-sama back. But since I decided to stay with her. Uncle, hasn't bothered us since."

Naruto nodded his head in understanding. "Good for you, Hinata-chan. You should do what makes you happy!" Hinata looked down and blushed.

"The world can be a dangerous place. It a good thing you got Neji!" Neji gave a terse nod of his head in acknowledgement to the compliment.

"W-What a-about you, Naruto-kun? Have family?" Hinata asked, her eyes lifting up.

Naruto's expression changed. A sadness creeping up in his eyes that Hinata quickly took notice of.

"A-Ah! I-I'm sorry, Naruto-kun!" Hinata said frantically, her hands waving in the air as though it would erase the question.

Naruto quickly righted himself and raised a hand in dismissal. "It's okay, Hinata-chan. I didn't know my birth parents but I grew up with my godfather." The blond said matter-of-factly.

"Oh." Hinata quietly sounded, not knowing what else to say.

"What do you think? Did he raise me right?" Naruto said coolly, lowering his head to be at eye-level with Hinata.

Hinata's lavender eyes winded at their proximity, promptly blushing. "U-Umm…"

Neji coughed into his hand. Hinata, who was in a trance, didn't notice.

Naruto turned his gaze toward Neji, who was glaring. The blond gave a quick apologetic smile and turned back to Hinata. Naruto playfully poked her forehead. "No need to answer, Hinata-chan."

The blonds' bright smile calmed Hinata.

"We should head back." Neji said while standing up.

Naruto smiled in agreement. "We should do this again."

-End of Extra Chapter-


	6. Chapter 5

TTP,TTK

Chapter Five

…

"Come on, Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, nudging Sasuke's shoulder before he sprinted off toward the center of the open green field.

"Forget it, Naruto." Sasuke said stubbornly as he continued walking down the sidewalk at a leisure pace. Classes had just ended and Sasuke was heading home.

Naruto pouted but then his face broke into a grin. "Oh, I get it! You don't want to play since you know I'll beat you!" The blond crossed his arms over his chest in confidence, a wide smile on his face.

Sasuke gave a crude snort. "Please. You wouldn't be able to beat me even if I was blindfolded and my hands were tied behind my back."

Naruto gave that wide grin again. "Sasuke, I'm not talking about our wild sex life. Come over here and play soccer with us."

Sasuke glared from his position on the sidewalk. A few people were snickering because Naruto had such a loud voice. "I don't want to play soccer. And we have _no_ kind of sex life."

Naruto who had been slowly making his way back toward Sasuke, took his hand and started to drag him onto the field. "Both- are things that can be easily fixed." Naruto said with bright blue eyes that made Sasuke's stomach flip-flop.

He protested but it went unheard as a tattooed brunette, with a toothy smile, shouted across the field. "Is he playing, Naruto?"

"Yeah, Kiba." Naruto practically pushed Sasuke into place. The raven glaring all the while as Naruto grinned.

…

Sasuke couldn't believe that he was participating in such a childish game. Running across a field and chasing after a ball- Sasuke had never done such a thing before. The only activities he ever participated in were Martial Arts and Judo. Things like baseball, basketball, and soccer didn't catch his attention. But Sasuke quickly found that it was exhilarating.

Something seemed to surge inside him as he and Naruto took on the opposing team all by themselves. The raven couldn't explain it. The sun shining down and sweat running down his back. The blond laughing and grinning. The soccer ball moving back and forth, so slick and fast.

Sasuke smirked as the winning goal he shot ended the game. All around him his teammates attempted to pat him on the back but they thought better of it after he glared. He didn't want their sweaty hands touching him. Naruto, the only one brave enough, or stupid enough, give Sasuke a victory slap on the back and held him in a playful headlock.

"Let go, you idiot."

"Then don't make the victory goal if you can't take the congratulations, baby."

"Shut up. And don't call me that."

Naruto let go and Sasuke looked down, he tugged at his shirt hem and narrowed his eyes in distaste. It was sticking onto his body and the raven felt dirty.

Kiba came up behind them. "Good shot, Uchiha! If you need to cool off there's a water spray right over there." Said the brunette pointing to the side.

Sasuke grumbled a thanks and walked off.

…

Naruto couldn't stop grinning. Sasuke could look so carefree and energized when he wanted to be. It sure was different from the regular stick-up-the-ass Sasuke. For a moment there, Naruto couldn't take his eyes off Sasuke. Naruto shook his head, his hand coming up to scratch at his golden locks. It would do no good to have those kinds of thoughts.

Naruto walked in the direction Sasuke left, all the while scanning the campus for anyone suspicious. He had been Sasuke's bodyguard for almost two mouths now and still nothing of concern has happened. The blond guessed that should be a good thing, but each day that passes calmly- only brought the opposing danger closer.

Turning the corner, Naruto stumbled across the scene of a half-naked Sasuke. Sasuke has using the water spray that was located on the side of the building which was a kind of equipment shack that was fairly isolated from the rest of the campus grounds. Water dripped down Sasuke's suave, firm form. The raven's jeans hanging low on his hips as he wet the back of his neck, cooling his heated skin. Naruto had stilled, resting a hand on a nearby wall and eyes glued on the scene.

Sasuke, feeling hot eyes on him, with the spray still in his hand, turned his neck to face Naruto. They made eye contact and the raven suddenly gave a smirk. "You like what you see?"

Naruto stared at him. That was the first time Sasuke had joked/flirted with him without Naruto prompting. The blond slowly walked toward Sasuke. Sasuke not moving as Naruto positioned himself behind the raven. Naruto's hands reached forward, his fingers twitching to touch that wet skin, but refraining. Instead his hands hovered over the area of Sasuke's hips. His fingertips barely skimming the smooth skin and making Sasuke hold his breath.

The blond slowly leaned forward, their bodies a breath apart. Naruto whispered into Sasuke's ear. "Very much."

Naruto's whispered voice sent an unmistakable shiver down the raven's spine. The blonds hands were getting bolder as they gently stroked Sasuke's sides. Their faces were close. If Sasuke just slightly turned his head their lips would no doubt connect. Naruto's chest melded into the raven's back, a sudden burst of heat and electricity had them both sucking in a breath.

A voice behind them broke their trance. It was Kiba.

"Hey. Naruto!" Naruto took a step away from Sasuke and immediately they both felt the loss of heat. Kiba suddenly rounded the corner almost crashing into Naruto. "You up for playing another round?" The brunette asked, completely oblivious to the sexual tension in the air.

Sasuke quickly pulled on his shirt and walked passed them. "I'm leaving."

Naruto watched Sasuke depart, his heart pounding. '_That was too close!' _Naruto thought as he managed a smile at Kiba. "Sorry, but I'll be leaving as well."

The blond walked away from campus. His mind was racing. '_What the hell was that?' _Naruto felt like tugging his hair and ripping it out. '_I almost kissed him!' _The blond shook his head. '_I'm his bodyguard. I'll just forget…that moment ever happened.' _Naruto agreed with himself the whole way home.

…

Sasuke was…dumbfounded. Sasuke was also pissed- at Naruto and at himself. He thought Naruto was going to kiss him. No, he wanted Naruto to kiss him. Sasuke cussed under his breath as he opened his apartment door and walked in. Upon the door closing behind him, the door had only opened again- Karin entering in a rush and with a confused expression.

"You're late, Sasuke!" She said bewildered. "You're never late! Where were you? Who were you with? Where-"

Sasuke wasn't even listening to her after the first few seconds. He sat, undignified, on his couch. The raven suddenly felt extremely exhausted. His thoughts were still running rapid. When he realized that Karin had finally stopped talking he looked up only to find that her face was only inches from his. He recoiled, with surprise and disgust. Sasuke glared. "Get out of my face."

Karin only appeared curious. "I haven't seen you so deep in thought before. What's up with you?"

Sasuke glared again. Karin was always so noisy. Ever since their High School days, he could never shake her off. She stuck to him like a leech. A massive leech. Just sucking and sucking the blood out of him. Sasuke inwardly sighed. She wasn't the only one from the high school days to stick around- there was also Suigetsu and Jugo. Both, thankfully, were out of town for some kind of concert. If only Karin had left with them.

Sasuke closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration. He could still feel Karin's eyes on him. "Leave, Karin." He wanted to add 'don't ever come back into my apartment' but that would only fall on deaf ears.

The red-head adjusted her glasses and frowned. "Fine." She said sourly knowing that Sasuke wouldn't say what was bothering him. She finally left.

Sasuke remained seated on his couch. A scowl on his face and Naruto on his mind.

…

Naruto sat hunched over his laptop. He was reviewing mission files and reports. Anything that could help him. It also kept his mind off Sasuke. He wasn't sure what it was about the other man but Naruto was strangely drawn to him. A strong attraction that only seemed to grow and that was slowly taking over.

Naruto blinked when he realized he was reading the same paragraph over and over again. He groaned and closed his laptop. He couldn't concentrate. The blond sighed.

Sasuke was Sasuke. A mission. Itachi's little brother. Nothing more. But how come Naruto felt like it should or could be much more. Naruto shook his head, he had no time for romantic interests. He would admit that Sasuke interested him, but Naruto would never pursue it.

The blond threw his head back and stared at the ceiling. The ringing of a cell phone brought Naruto out of his thoughts, bringing the world crashing back. The blond groaned as he reached for the small device and flipped it open.

"Yes?" Naruto quickly asked. He didn't usually get a call from the company unless it was important.

"Kyuubi." It was Itachi. "You are to report back and meet with Tsunade-sama."

Naruto childishly whined. "Do I have 'ta?"

Even though Naruto couldn't see it, he could feel Itachi's glare. "Yes."

The blond was already standing up and searching for his bag. "Okay, okay. No need to get mad. Is a replacement on it's way?" Naruto didn't want to leave unless somebody was close to Sasuke. Traveling to the company headquarters was a good two hour travel. He would most likely be gone for five or six hours.

"Yes. Two of them- they should be at their posts now."

Naruto nodded. "Alright. On my way." He flipped his cell phone closed and finally got a hold of his bag. The blond promptly pulled out his gun and he also grabbed a holster. He wasn't going to travel anywhere without his gun.

…

'_How long has it been?' _Thought Naruto as he entered the Headquarters of the KAGE company. He rarely ever reported to the main headquarters. Naruto was mostly out on the field and reported to distant outposts.

The blond was escorted to the elevator. Once inside he pressed the button for the top floor. "Not bad." Naruto said out loud. Tsunade-sama had just took the Head of KAGE not one-year-ago. Tsunade had made a few changes but thankfully not too many. Ruminates of the past Head- Sarutobi- could still be seen.

Wide gold-colored doors opened and Naruto stepped through them.

Behind a large, old-fashioned wooden desk sat a blond-haired women. She appeared young but don't let that fool ya. Her eyes shined mischievously and she grinned. Her hands were folded on the desk and she waited patiently for Naruto to be in polite speaking range.

Naruto had quickly returned the grin and slightly scoffed under his breath. He stared with amusement. "When are you going to start acting your age, Tsunade-baachan?" Naruto asked playfully as he titled his head to Tsunade's wardrobe where her breast were threatening to spill out of her top.

Tsunade huffed as she rearranged her top and Naruto let out an exaggerated sigh of relief. "Brat! Is that the first thing you say to me after seeing me face to face after all these years?"

Naruto couldn't help but shrug.

Tsunade stood up, her smile returning to her face. "It's good to see you too, brat."

They approached each other and gave the proper greeting of a hug.

She squeezed him one last time before releasing him. Tsunade looked at him lovingly and then sadly. "Jiraiya would be proud you know." She said quietly.

At the mention of Jiraiya's name his head dipped toward the ground. "I know."

Jiraiya was the only father figure in Naruto's life. He was a perverted man, silly, and a drunk- but he was all Naruto had. Tsunade was Jiraiya's close friend, they used to be pupils under the old Head of KAGE, Sarutobi. Naruto had always questioned their somewhat mysterious relationship.

When Jiraiya died- it had hit them both hard.

Tsunade gave Naruto a hard pat on the back and she moved to sit behind her desk again. "Now then,…Do you know why you're here?"

Naruto straightened his back and looked Tsunade in the eye. "Orochimaru."

Tsunade averted her gaze. Orochimaru was the third pupil- aside from Tsunade and Jiraiya- to train under Sarutobi. That snake had betrayed KAGE and had killed Sarutobi.

He was also the man that forced Itachi to kill members of his own family. When Itachi refused to kill Sasuke, Itachi broke away and joined KAGE.

Orochimaru was also the man who kidnapped Naruto three years ago. Naruto was tortured and he suffered for ten months until Itachi found him and save him. In each event- Orochimaru escaped, slithering away like the snake he was.

Shortly after, Orochimaru went into hiding. Nobody could find him. Not a trace. Until now.

"He is after Itachi's little brother. Sasuke." Tsunade said. Her gaze strong and searching for Naruto's reaction.

"I knew it." Naruto said softly, his fists tightening. "So after all this time- he finally shows up on our radar but he's only after revenge? I don't buy it."

Tsunade nodded her head agreeing. "Orochimaru is after more then revenge against Itachi. He still wants Itachi."

Naruto growled. "Orochimaru just can't stand that Itachi got away from him."

Tsunade stood up and walked around her desk. "It's more than that. Or at least Orochimaru feels like it's more than that. That snake-bastard has an obsessive personality. He wants perfection. The perfect Company to run the underground."

"And Itachi was part of that perfection." Naruto finished.

"Exactly." Tsunade stepped closer to Naruto, her hands hooked behind her back. "Itachi was the best agent. Is still the best agent. Orochimaru wanted Itachi to become an obedient tool, lifeless and emotionless. So he ordered Itachi to kill his family, his only ties, bonds."

Naruto didn't move from his spot as he watched Tsunade walk past him. "But Itachi didn't. He refused to kill Sasuke."

"And because of that blunt refusal, Itachi was able to break away." Tsunade stopped walking, her gaze looking out the window. "But Orochimaru won't stop." She walked back to Naruto and stood in front of him. "Orochimaru went after you the same way."

Naruto stance became tense.

"Orochimaru recognized your skills and he took you away. He tried to strip you of who you were by torturing you for months."

Naruto's heart beat loudly in his chest.

"But you also broke away from him." Tsunade said reassuringly.

Naruto shook his head. "No." Blue-eyes disappeared behind heavily eyelids. "If Itachi hadn't found me, saved me. I would of died." He gave a humorless chuckle, "Or worse…I would become a part of his sick underground Company. A soulless drone."

Tsunade moved on, knowing that Naruto didn't want to talk about it anymore. "Orochimaru is trying to push Itachi out in the open. Or he may still be after you. Maybe he's after the both of you." She sighed. "We don't know."

"Either way it doesn't matter!" Naruto blurted. "Itachi and I won't rest until Orochimaru is dead!"

"I know." Tsunade walked back to her desk and pulled out some files. "That's why I didn't refuse when Itachi demanded he be on the case. I didn't object to your involvedness either. I know better than try to hold you two back."

Tsunade motioned Naruto toward the desk and she gave him the files, holding eye-contact all the while. "Inside is updated information on Orochimaru. He's about to make a big move. You need to be ready."

Naruto nodded his head and took the files.

She looked at him and leaned forward in order to ruffle his hair fondly. "Be careful out there, Naruto."

Naruto gave a sincere smile. "Don't worry, I will."

-End of Chapter Five

A/N: Yup, So Orochimaru will be the main bad guy in this story. There will be no Akatsuki, though those characters that are part of the Akatsuki ( In the Cannon) will now be a part of Orochimaru's underground Company.


	7. Chapter 6

TTP,TTK

Chapter Six

…

"Come on, Sasuke. Don't be jealous."

Sasuke scoffed loudly. "You really are a moron."

"Baby-"

"Shut up! What do I care if some little tramp gave you cookies? And don't call me that." Sasuke sneered as he walked into class and quickly found a seat.

Naruto automatically sat next to him. "Hey! Don't call her that! Her name is Hinata and she makes the best cookies!" Naruto titled his head up, speaking the next part mostly to himself. "She's usually really shy. I was surprised that she came all the way to the University to hand me these cookies." The blond turned to Sasuke, lifting up the harmless bag of homemade chocolate chip cookies. "You should try one. I bet you'll like it." Naruto said playfully, giving Sasuke a nudge.

Sasuke childishly turned his head away, his chin in his hand and looking as if the far wall was interesting.

Naruto chuckled under his breath making Sasuke turn back toward him with a glare in place.

"You know, you're really cute when you're jealous." Naruto had leaned toward the other slightly, his voice soft, in a sincere-like manner.

Sasuke continued to stare at Naruto, a silence passing between them, neither breaking eye-contact, with their senses very in tune on each other.

Many of these _'moments' _had been happening lately- ever since their almost-kiss a week ago.

Both turned to the front as the professor walked in and started class.

Sasuke diverted all his attention to taking notes. In the corner of his eye he could see Naruto push a cookie onto his paper. After a few seconds of the little innocent chocolate chip cookie sitting there, surrounded by crumbs, on his paper. Sasuke finally gave in and picked up the little thing and took a bite.

The raven tried his best to hide his pleasure from the intense burst of flavor. '_This is good.' _He couldn't help but think.

Naruto, at his side, grinned stupidly. "Told ya."

…

Classes ran late and the required seminar that followed ended at eight o'clock at night. Naruto heaved a heavy sigh of relief as they walked out the University doors. The blond still wasn't used to sitting in one place for so long, he probably never will.

Sasuke briefly glanced at him, giving Naruto a look that said 'don't-be-so-dramatic.'

Naruto shoved his hands into his oversized hoodie and was about to reply but movement on the side of the road caught his eye. The raven, noticing Naruto's unusual silence, fully faced Naruto in question.

…

Hairs on the back of Naruto's neck were standing. Something in the air didn't feel right. Naruto's blue eyes swept the area, even though it was only eight o'clock, it was dark out. The city lights being the only real source of light. The air was steady, a slight gust of cold wind coming and going. Naruto finally spotted what he felt was 'wrong'.

Down the road, three black cars were lined up and were driving slowly down the street, heading straight toward them. Naruto acted instantly. He took Sasuke's hand and pulled him into a brisk step.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked annoyed.

Naruto spoke barely above a whisper. "Don't look now but three cars are following us."

The raven narrowed his eyes, looking over his shoulder and spotting the three cars instantly. "Do you know them?"

Naruto knew it was Orochimaru's henchmen. These guys were probably only the first wave. A test. If Naruto lost them- kept Sasuke out of sight- they would just leave to report back to Orochimaru on what they saw. The blond quickened his step, still pulling Sasuke along. They would no doubt report that Naruto was seen with Sasuke.

Blue-eyes looked at the raven who was increasing his resistance on Naruto's hold. Naruto gave a wide grin, a way to disarm Sasuke so he wouldn't realize that they were in danger. "They must be seriously pissed off to do something like this!"

Sasuke gave a questioning gaze, still trying to break the grip on his arm.

"Those guys who lost their girlfriends! Gods, Sasuke, you don't even know whose after you! Come on, we need to lose them."

Sasuke gave a scoff and finally removed his arm from Naruto's grasp. "Since it's just them we should just beat their asses again. Shouldn't take too long."

Naruto felt a bubble of panic build up in his chest but he crushed it down. He did some of his best acting as he looked at Sasuke, with puppy-dog eyes, and gave a loud whine. "No, I'm tired. There's three cars! They obviously brought their little friends. Lets just lose them in the alleyways." The blond nabbed Sasuke arm again and preceded into the alleyways that ran between the tall buildings that surrounded the University.

Sasuke grumbled, annoyed again. "I can walk on my own." He said smartly.

Naruto gave that disarming grin again as he released Sasuke. "Follow me."

…

Naruto could hear his heartbeat increase. The blood and adrenaline pumping through his body on instinct. The gun that he has been carrying with him ever since his meeting with Tsunade felt heavier then usual. Naruto was grateful that this part of town had tall buildings tightly built together. Alleyways of every which way were connected, but navigating them was difficult.

Sasuke was walking in step beside him. Every turn they made didn't seem to shake the cars that were following them. Naruto could see their headlights lighting up the alleyways as they slowly drove by.

Every now and then Naruto will throw in a grin or a laugh. Trying to conceal from Sasuke the extreme danger they were in if they got captured and trying to conceal his own anxiety. The blond wished he could feel his gun in his hands but he didn't want to pull it out in front of Sasuke unless it was absolutely necessary.

"They're not giving up." The raven said irritated. "We should of kicked their asses in the beginning instead of running through these _godforsaken_ alleyways."

Naruto gave a chuckle. "Shouldn't be much longer. Beside aren't you having fun?"

Sasuke sneered. "What's fun about running through damp, dirty, and rodent infested alleyways?" The raven wiped his sweat soaked hand on his coat, hating the feel of dirt sticking to his skin.

Naruto then gave a true grin. It was quite a sight to see Sasuke stumble on the trash that littered the floor and the way the raven had ran around garbage cans deliberately not touching them. Sasuke gave that cute scowl again when his coat brushed on the wall leaving a black mark on his blue jacket. Naruto let out a laugh again.

Not much longer and Orochimaru's henchmen would no doubt back out. Orochimaru probably wanted them to report back fast and give a visual analyses. First they just had to lose them.

"Now!" Naruto yelled as he gave Sasuke a push toward the street. Naruto and Sasuke sprinted across the street into a different set of alleyways. After making a few turns they slowed down. '_I don't think they saw us.' _Naruto thought, feeling relieved as he caught his breath.

Sasuke gave a glare while dusting himself off. "That was ridicules."

Naruto shrugged as he took a step toward Sasuke about to reply. The blonds' ears suddenly caught the sound of a slow moving vehicle. Knowing that they could easily be spotted and knowing that there wasn't enough time to run around the corner that was more than ten feet away, Naruto did something that he's secretly been wanting to do for the past month- He pulled Sasuke forward and locked their lips together.

Sasuke automatically tensed and went wide-eyed as Naruto's hand came up to cup the side of his face. Naruto's other hand seized Sasuke's which was pressing against Naruto's chest defensibly and he gave it a tight squeeze in warning.

As the headlights from the slow moving car entered the alleyway, Sasuke was pressed up hard against the wall. Sasuke now understood the reason for the sudden kiss as he peered past the corner of his eye toward the vehicle. Naruto, sensing Sasuke's diverted attention, promptly shoved his tongue inside to have a taste.

…

Feeling Naruto's smooth tongue slide against his own- Sasuke's eyes had begun to close at the sensation. A shudder crashed through his body as Naruto thoroughly ravished him. The blond was forcibly pushing him up against the wall but for once Sasuke didn't mind that dirt and muck were probably attaching itself onto his coat. The raven's body felt exceedingly hot as Naruto's chest brushed against his, a pleasant jolt of electricity working itself up his spine.

A breathy gasp escaped when Naruto bit down on Sasuke's lower lip in an almost teasing yet passionate way. The headlights that lit up the dark alleyway had faded away. The vehicle and it's dangers gone.

No longer having to hide Sasuke's face, the hand that was previously cupping the pale -now rose colored- cheek moved slowly down to grip the back of the neck. The blond titled Sasuke's head roughly, deepening the kiss once more before abruptly letting go.

Released, all Sasuke could do was stare at the blond. Lust and frustration sparked in those dark eyes, along with something else unreadable. Standing up a bit straighter, the raven glared weakly as he tried to slow his breathing and the fast beating of his heart that he could practically hear in his ears. He opened his mouth to say something but Naruto had already moved away.

…

Naruto didn't say a thing as he moved swiftly to peek around the corner, checking for sure that the car was moving along. The blond cautiously looked back to Sasuke giving a warily smile. The raven just turned away, walking toward the direction of his apartment. Naruto quietly followed him.

…

Naruto sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time as he looked at his mobile phone. Blue-eyes were fasten on the readings of the security grid that surround Sasuke's home on the inside as well as outside. No sign of entry or danger. Orochimaru's henchmen most likely retired for the night.

Making sure that the security alarm was set on high volume, the blond set the small device on top the small table at the center of his living room. Leaning back so that his blond head was comfortably settled on the couch, he pulled his feet up to do the same. He sighed again. '_Why did I kiss, Sasuke?' _He thought again and again.

'_I know I kissed him in order to hide who we were….but,…that car had already passed by us when I had kissed him __**again**__.' _A tan hand came up to cover his face, his eyes closing tightly. He could still feel the kiss lingering. Once he had pressed his lips with Sasuke's he couldn't stop. The taste, the very smell of Sasuke was intoxicating. Feeling Sasuke against him, that lithe body shuddering and reacting to his own. "Argghh" Naruto groaned as he sat up. '_This is not good.' _He thought.

Before Naruto could berate himself further his doorbell had sounded. Confusion marred the blonds face. It was already close to midnight. With no sound in his step he went to the door and carefully opened it. Upon doing so Naruto felt his eyes widen. "Gaara."

…

On the other side of Naruto's apartment door stood a man. With blood-red hair and ocean-green eyes the man looked dangerous. But all Naruto could do was grin. The red-head responded by giving a small smile of his own and he didn't resist as Naruto enclosed him in a tight hug. "Gaara!" Naruto pulled him in and shut the door behind them. "What are you doing here?"

Gaara took off his overlaying coat with grace and then threw it without caution onto a nearby surface. He moved a strand of red-hair from his forehead- his tattoo, the Japanese character for Love, becoming visible. "Do you really have to ask?" Gaara said smoothly walking toward Naruto.

Naruto flashed a smile, his flirtatious nature coming to the surface. "Well, I don't know- It could be either business or pleasure?"

Gaara was now within arms reach of the blond and his fingertips teased the fabric of Naruto's shirt. "What if I said it was both."

Naruto looked straight into Gaara's pale-green eyes. It had been nearly a year since they last saw each other. They had kept in contact by phone but having Gaara in front of him was something else entirely. Gaara and Naruto used to be lovers. It didn't work out between them perfectly so they merely became each others sexual outlets.

Being on missions and being in constant danger didn't give one too many chances to unwind. Gaara was no doubt here because he heard Naruto was on Orochimaru's case. Knowing Naruto and his history with Orochimaru- Naruto would be strung up and restless. Gaara had come here to relieve Naruto of that stress, and to stay at his side and help on the case like a good friend.

Gaara closed the distance between them. The feeling of Gaara's hands encircling his waist felt nice, reassuring, and familiar- But Naruto couldn't help but think of Sasuke. Sasuke. There was something between them, that was what his head and nerves were screaming but Naruto ignored them. '_Maybe'_, Naruto thought frantically, '_it's probably just lust_. _Only lust.' _If lust was the case then alleviating himself with Gaara might cure all his problems. Naruto gave another sigh. He felt confused and somewhat scared.

He had never refused Gaara's touch but he found himself wanting to reject it now. '_This is bad.' _Naruto thought again as Gaara reached up to kiss at his tan neck. '_This is very bad.'_

_-End of Chapter Six-_


	8. Chapter 7

TTP,TTK

Chapter Seven

A/N: Thank you for all your reviews and opinions! I was glad that most of you didn't mind the NaruGaara aspect but there were also some opposed to it. I think I have a good balance that would make everyone happy.

Onward to Chapter Seven!

…

A smooth yet rough tongue made it's way from Naruto's neck to his ear. A hot breath fanned over his tan skin and he couldn't suppresse the shudder that automatically followed. Naruto groaned with frustration at his conflicting thoughts. The red-head, whose hand was currently making it's way down the blonds' chest to the top of his pants, took the groan as an encouraging sound.

In a sudden burst of panic the blonds' hands gripped onto the slightly shorter man's shoulders and pushed, creating some distance between them. Naruto, who felt out of breath, gave a nervous chuckle. "Gaara," he started to say uncertainly.

How was he supposed to tell his long time friend, who was an occasional lover, that he had a sudden moment of confliction and panic. Gaara looked at him, his face blank, but Naruto knew Gaara was mildly confused. "What's wrong?" Came the direct question with a direct voice.

Naruto averted his gaze, still finding it difficult to put into words what he wanted to say. His jumbled up emotions making it even more difficult. Gaara stepped forward, and with a shove that had Naruto by surprise, the blond collapsed onto the couch and watched quite helplessly as the lean red-head straddled him.

"Gaara,…" he tried again. But Gaara paid no mind as he attached his lips onto Naruto's.

Naruto mentally groaned. As long as Naruto had knew the red-head, Gaara had always been forceful. Always taking what he wanted no matter where they were. Naruto's thoughts traveled to the time they were in Finland together. It was winter and it was freezing. Together they were waiting for their target to step out of an old cottage that was located in the middle of a clearing surrounded by arcane woods. Above, in a tree, where they were comfortably settled, Gaara had straddled Naruto much like he did now. It was freezing, wet, and cramped- but Gaara made it work. Naruto smiled at that. Gaara could be so unpredictable when he wanted to be and this was coming from the guy most people would call the definition of unpredictability.

Naruto was brought back to the present as his shirt was being unbuttoned away. Feeling that panic return, Naruto opened his mouth to object. Gaara had only used that as the opportunity to deepen the kiss. Naruto's eyes closed and he found himself answering to the kiss. He couldn't help it, it was familiar to him. The way Gaara's body was pressed onto his was way too familiar to reject outright.

Feeling Gaara's tongue slide against his, only one thought came to mind- _'Sasuke had tasted so much more sweeter…_'

Naruto hands automatically gripped at Gaara's waist- _'Sasuke's body felt much more compatible_'

He heard Gaara release a breathy moan- _'Sasuke had sounded so much more sexier._'

Naruto's eyes gradually widened. It was as though something snapped in his brain. He didn't want Gaara or anybody else, he_ wanted Sasuke_. "Gaara!" He practically shrieked, dislodging himself from the other, his voice a slightly higher pitch.

Pale-green eyes just stared back.

Finding his throat dry, Naruto was relieved when his cell phone rang. "_Thank goodness._" He said, promptly and literally, tossing himself across the table to swipe at the phone.

Gaara could only raise an eyebrow at the 'thank goodness' comment and he titled his head in the classic childlike expression of confusion.

With his phone pressed to his ear, Naruto stepped away from the couch and walked across the room to listen to the voice on the line.

"What happened, Kyuubi?" It was Itachi.

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck nervously. He was supposed to report right away to Itachi if anything happened. When Naruto had gotten back to his apartment he had totally forgotten. "No cause for alarm, Itachi." The moment it came out of his mouth he knew it was the wrong thing to say. Naruto didn't even know why he said it. He himself was anxious as fuck when Orochimaru finally made a move.

"What is that supposed to mean, Kyuubi?" Anger, didn't escape Itachi's tone.

"It was just a recon team. Once Sasuke and I lost them, they retreated." The blond said reassuringly.

Itachi didn't feel reassured. "Are you positive?"

Naruto renewed his stride around the living room of the apartment. A glance to the kitchen showed that Gaara was already making himself at home. "Of course I am. I know how Orochimaru works, and so do you."

Silence flowed through the other end and then the normal-steady-controlled voice of Itachi spoke. "You are correct. After the recon team, three days will pass and then the arrival of a retrieval team will come. If the retrieval team doesn't succeed a larger team will follow the following day along with Orochimaru himself."

Naruto nodded his head as Itachi spoke. Orochimaru's tactics had never changed. Even when he was part of KAGE all those years ago. Maybe he didn't know how to go about it any other way or maybe he was just a confident snake. No one knew.

"I'll be ready." The blond said fearlessly. Even though Naruto couldn't see it he knew that Itachi had given a nod of his head.

Changing the subject and the mood of the conversation Itachi said: "Gaara is nearby. He asked for you, he should be there any minute."

Naruto looked unconsciously back to Gaara who was still burrowing through his cupboards like he was some kind of raccoon. "He's already here."

"Did I interrupt?" Itachi said somewhat irritability. He probably thought that he didn't report because he was busy with Gaara. Naruto gave an ironic smile, the reason Naruto didn't report in was because Sasuke was plaguing his thoughts.

"No."

Itachi made a disbelieving sound.

"Hey, It's true!" Though Naruto couldn't blame Itachi. The blond had lost count of the numerous times Itachi had caught them in the act, including some of those awkward places- one of them being Itachi's very own office. Naruto chuckled at the memory,- such good times.

Blue-eyes looked back to Gaara who was currently ripping a box of Saltine crackers open. The blond silently looked the red-head over but he felt nothing. No lust and even the attraction that had them running back to each other over the years had dimmed. Naruto frowned. Was it because of Sasuke? When Naruto was with Sasuke he felt…

"Hey, Itachi?" Naruto said quietly over the phone.

No answer.

"Itachi?" Naruto was dumbfounded. Itachi had hung up on him. "Bastard!" he snapped as he closed his phone and pushed it in the pocket of his pants.

"Naruto." Naruto turned to face Gaara who was leaning against the doorway that led to the kitchen. "These cookies are delicious. Have any more?" The red-head said as he finished nibbling on another one of Hinata's homemade cookies.

"Ahhh! Those are mine!" Naruto walked toward the red-head and took the plastic bag that was dangling from Gaara's hand. "You ate them all!" He said distressed.

Gaara gave a blank look. "They were good."

Naruto gave a glare.

Gaara ignored it as he looked over his shoulder. "I should of known you'll have nothing to eat. All I found that was close to edible was Ramen."

Looking over Gaara's shoulder as well, Naruto was greeted with the sight of a destroyed Kitchen. It seemed as though a tornado passed by. Cupboards and drawers were wide open. Pans and pots were tossed, some dented. Boxes and bags were torn open with crumbs littering the titled floor. No, it wasn't a tornado. It was a goddamn _raccoon_.

Naruto gave a low growl. "You do this every time, Gaara."

Gaara gave an one-shoulder shrug as he dusted himself off. "Now where were we?" he said as he encircled his hands around Naruto's neck casually.

Blue-eyes locked with pale-green. "I don't think we should." Naruto said detangling himself away once again.

Gaara didn't break eye-contact. "That's unusual," he stated. "You were always the eager one. And besides, I thought you'll want to right away since you must be tense about Orochimaru. You always asked me to help relax you in the past."

Naruto nodded his head as he ran a hand thorough his blond spikes. "I know." The blond couldn't deny that having Gaara here eased him a bit. Gaara was an excellent agent, they completed many impossible missions together. Changing the subject Naruto asked: "You staying till the end?"

Gaara nodded. "I would stay even if I was ordered to leave. This is about Orochimaru after all."

Naruto acknowledged Gaara's stern voice. Orochimaru was the one who killed his father. Even though Gaara and his Father weren't exactly close. Gaara felt as though it was a personal attack. And he always answers to those in kind. "Right," Naruto began as he moved across the room to a box that were littered with files. "You should brief yourself so far, plus you must be tired from traveling." Gaara took a seat and instantly took hold of the files. "I'm going to sleep, it's almost two in the morning and I have to get up early."

Gaara gave a dismissive nod and Naruto walked to his bedroom, falling asleep the instant his head touched the pillow.

…

'_So warm.' _Naruto thought as he snuggled closer to the source. Daylight was pouring in through the small gap in the shades and it made Naruto want to turn away. '_But it's so warm,…' _The blond thought as he endured the blinding light in favor for the heat and for the body that was pressed against his… Wait, body?

Blue-eyes flew open to view a red-head that was nicely nuzzled beside him. Naruto quickly got over the initial bewilderment and groaned as he sat up on the bed. '_When did he get here?' _Naruto thought.

Watching as the red-head slept peacefully a sympathetic smile spread on the blonds' face. Gaara had once told him that he was an insomniac. When Gaara would finally be able to fall sleep, it would only last a couple hours and nightmares would flood his mind. He said the only time he ever got a good nights sleep was when he was with Naruto. There was no doubt that in the year that they were separated, Gaara probably didn't sleep well. That would also explain his eagerness from last night. One that Naruto narrowly escaped.

'_He still managed to follow me to bed anyway.' _Naruto gave a small yawn as he moved a lock of red-hair away from Gaara's face, giving himself a clear view of a tattoo. The childlike face that Gaara always maintained became the most apparent when he slept. Even though Gaara was one of the most ruthless killers that he had ever known. If anything the affection he felt for Gaara was brotherly. '_So I sleep with my brother?' _Naruto thought with a drowsy frown. The blond than shook his head of thoughts as he turned his blue-eyed gaze to the clock.

"Fuck, I'm late!" Naruto exclaimed as he jumped out of bed. He looked down to find that he was fully dressed. "I slept with my clothes on last night;" Naruto groaned, "I really must have been tired." He mumbled this as he scurried to his closet all the while taking off the wrinkled, day-old clothes.

From the bed, Gaara had sat up, the sheets falling down revealing a bare chest. Naruto paid no mind as he pulled a new shirt on.

"Naruto?" Gaara called.

"Yeah?" Naruto asked as he turned around just in time to see Gaara stand up. The sheets had completely fell away from him revealing his nude body. "Why are you naked?" Naruto asked incredibly.

Gaara dumbly looked down as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes in a childlike fashion. "I always sleep in the nude." He said matter-of-factly.

"Oh." Naruto replied, feeling kinda stupid. For a moment there he thought something happened last night. "Anyways I gotta go, Gaara. Make yourself at home." He called out as he ran out of the apartment.

…

On the way to the University, Naruto had automatically spotted agents from KAGE. Since Orochimaru finally made a move, more agents were deployed and were posted nearby for immediate back up.

Naruto looked down at his watch and cursed. Sasuke would be at the second class of the day by now.

…

Sasuke glanced at the doorway again. Upon realizing so he cussed under his breath and returned his gaze toward the front of class. '_Naruto hasn't showed up this morning.' _Sasuke felt worried though he didn't know why. '_Those guys that were chasing us last night…something doesn't feel right.' _The raven unconsciously looked to the right where Naruto would usually sit. It felt weird that the loud blond wasn't there. Everything was quiet- it was grinding on Sasuke's nerves. When had he become so accustomed to Naruto's presence?

Leaning his raven head on the palm of his hand his thoughts drifted once again. '_That kiss last night.' _Sasuke had to force down a blush, a scowl spreading on his face. '_That stupid blond,' _he thought.

He could still feel it… They way Naruto held him almost protectively. How the kiss felt somewhat desperate as their desires increased. How those damn blue-eyes locked onto him… '_This is not good.' _Sasuke thought. He didn't come to school to be distracted by another person with the aspect of love. Sasuke's scowl deepened.

Thankfully his thoughts were interrupted, but upon seeing who interrupted him he was no longer thankful.

"We see you're alone today, Sasuke-kun." Said the annoying voice of a pink-haired girl.

"Mind if we join you?" Said the other girl who had light blond hair.

Sasuke's already scowling face turned into something more sinister and bleak. One of the good things about having Naruto around was that he affectedly kept the fan-girls away. One look to the front of the class and Sasuke gathered that the professor called for a five minute break between lectures.

During these five minute breaks Naruto would usually spew out some story or joke. Or the blond would just flirt and suggest inappropriate things. Things that Naruto promised could be done in five minutes in a public restroom. Sasuke kept his perverted smile from showing. Since when had he taken Naruto's suggestions into some serious consideration?

And then, as though it was magical, Naruto materialized before him. His rich voice flooding Sasuke's ears. "I'm here! Sorry ladies but he's mine."

The two girls that flanked him at each side -Sasuke had momentarily forgotten they were there-, grumbled under their breath as they moved away.

"Sorry I'm late, baby." Naruto said with a tired smile as he took his regular seat beside Sasuke.

Sasuke huffed and discreetly raked his eyes over Naruto's body. The blond didn't seem hurt or injured. Sasuke's eyes slightly narrowed at thought- why did he think something dangerous might of happened? Sasuke still couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

Sasuke looked up to see Naruto looking at him with a pleading face, his eyes wide and begging.

"What?" The raven asked.

"Can I borrow your notes?" Naruto asked, his bright blue-eyes filled with hope.

'_Why does this idiot have to look so… ' _The raven stopped himself from using the word _cute _or _adorable, _instead he shook his head of thoughts and tossed his notebook toward the blond. While watching Naruto copy the notes Sasuke realized that he didn't say anything, didn't object, on the _mine _and _baby _comments. Naruto didn't comment on it- so maybe he didn't notice it either.

Feeling Sasuke's charcoal eyes on him, Naruto had stopped writing and looked over.

Golden hair framed Naruto's sapphire eyes that flickered something unreadable. Lips slightly turned upward and settled into a smile on that tanned face. Sasuke held his breath. Perhaps being distracted by somebody- the prospect of love wasn't such a bad thing.

-End of Chapter Seven-

A/N: Did you like Gaara? He had ended up taking over most of the chapter…But yeah, Naruto sees Gaara as a long time friend and brotherly type: The whole 'birds fly together' deal. As for Naruto and Sasuke- Realization is only the first step- a lot still has to be done for them to act on it. Thank you for reading!


	9. Chapter 8

TTP,TTK

Chapter 8

…

"Why were you late this morning?" Sasuke asked, feigning a disinterested tone of voice. In fact Sasuke was very interested. He had been feeling that something was _off _lately. It was like an approaching storm and he was convinced that Naruto knew something about it.

He kept his charcoal eyes on Naruto's form and he noticed that the blonds' broad shoulders had momentarily tensed. A embarrassed smile was given and he said, "I overslept."

Sasuke diverted his eyes to the front as he swiftly opened the door that led to the outside courtyard. Bright light and warm air hit both their faces as they walked outside. "Anything to do with those guys from yesterday?"

Confusion marred Naruto's face.

"Those guys that were following us in those cars. I don't think they were every-day-normal guys." It was the day after getting chased through those alleyways and now he could feel several eyes on him. It was as if they were waiting for something to happen. Naruto even looked a little distracted. Something was going on.

Naruto gave a dry chuckle. "No. They were nothing."

The blonds tone wasn't convincing but Sasuke let the matter slide for now.

Above them the sun was shining brightly and the courtyard was packed. Sasuke withheld a grimace, he hated when his shoulders bumped with someone else's. He just wanted to get to the other side of the courtyard so that he could go to class. Beside him Naruto's blue eyes darted back and forth, perhaps he didn't like large crowds either. He wasn't being his usual talkative self. Again the foreboding feeling overcame him. Just what was going on?

Before Sasuke could comment on Naruto's unusual silence, a voice from the left sounded over the crowd.

"Naruto." Both Naruto and Sasuke turned to come face to face with a red-head. The red-head was approaching them with a somewhat blank but disquieting face that made Sasuke raise an eyebrow. The guy gave off a dangerous aura and as a result, the once overcrowded courtyard, had parted just for him. '_Who does this guy think he is?' _Sasuke thought.

"Ah, Gaara! What are you doing here?" Naruto said somewhat hesitantly. '_Naruto knows this guy?'_

Stopping just before them the red-head, now known as Gaara, locked his pale-green eyes with Naruto's. "You left so fast this morning I didn't get to tell you something."

Sasuke turned his gaze to Naruto. "This morning?" '_So the reason Naruto was late this morning was because he was with him?' _

An alarmed look passed by Naruto's face, his hand reaching out to Gaara's shoulder so that they were slightly turned away from Sasuke. "Could this wait, Gaara?" he asked in a whisper but Sasuke could still hear them.

Gaara ignored Naruto's hand on his shoulder, he looked at Sasuke and then back to Naruto then back to Sasuke. "This is Uchiha Sasuke I presume." Gaara's voice was deep but it was still monotone. Naruto gave a quick nod of his blond head. Gaara looked at Naruto and then at Sasuke with intelligent, analyzing eyes. "So he's the reason you didn't want to have sex last night," he said somewhat insightfully.

Sasuke's eyebrow raised even higher and his mouth opened to say something but Naruto with a loud outburst stopped him. "Ha, Ha, Gaara! Very funny! Lets go elsewhere so we can talk!" Naruto quickly grabbed onto Gaara's upper arm and dragged him away. Over his shoulder Naruto called back to Sasuke. "I'll see you later, B- I mean Sasuke!"

Sasuke really couldn't say anything because they as good as disappeared. Sasuke huffed and started walking toward his next class.

…

"No wonder you didn't want to have sex last night." Gaara said after being dragged to the other side of the courtyard. The place was fairly isolated and deemed safe for talking. "You're already satisfied." Gaara looked at Naruto with a knowing look. "If you already had someone you could of just told me," The red-head stepped closer to the tense blond. "But you do know he's Itachi's little brother, right?"

Naruto turned his head away and folded his arms across his chest. "Pshh, Talking as if you know everything…"

Gaara raised an eyebrow at that. "Am I not right?"

Naruto let his arms fall to his side defeated. "Fine! Alright,… I do have something for Sasuke. But that doesn't matter cause-"

"He likes you too." Gaara interrupted with a deadpanned voice.

"Sasuke doesn't- Wait, what?" Naruto asked with wide eyes.

"I could tell." Gaara began. "When I said 'this morning' and last night about sex ,- his eyes sparked." Gaara's voice dipped a little lower. "With jealously and anger at maybe being cheated."

Naruto opened his mouth to say something but closed it again. Gaara was the most insightful person Naruto knew. He never once before second guessed Gaara's intuitions, so why should he start now."

"Really." Naruto said with a cocky smile, his mood raising. He just knew that Sasuke liked him back.

Gaara eyes narrowed. "Don't forget he's Itachi's little brother."

Naruto ran a hand through his blond locks. "I know…" '_I'll deal with that when the time comes.' _He thought. Turning his blue eyes back to Gaara he asked with a professional voice. "What did you find?"

Gaara gave a terse nod and pulled a paper seemingly out of nowhere, he gave it to Naruto.

Looking at the paper it showed a picture of one of Sasuke's teachers. More specially this guy was a Teachers aid by the name of Kabuto. "What about him?" Naruto asked.

"When I was going through the files last night, I recognized this picture. It's the same guy."

Naruto waited patiently.

"He's an Orochimaru spy."

Naruto teeth clenched. "Damn it!" The blue-eyes flared angrily, flickering crimson in the sun that was shining down on them. "Why didn't I know this? There was an Orochimaru Spy right under our noses and KAGE didn't even know it!" He felt Gaara take the paper back from hand, probably to prevent it from crumbling in his tight grip. "How did you know?" Naruto asked, his breaths coming out a little fast. "I went over the files over and over again. Even evaluated all those teachers personally.

"It was in the SAND files. It was probably from a classified mission file that wasn't shared with KAGE."

Naruto shook his head from side to side, irritated to no end, and his blond locks becoming even more wild. "I hate that these companies have a piss, poor way of sharing information."

Tucking the paper back into his pocket, Gaara looked up and asked. "Shall we go kill him now?" Naruto released a strained sigh. "He knows who you are and has probably been waiting for you this whole time." Gaara continued.

Closing his blue-eyes, Naruto nodded his head with resolve. "We should take care of him quickly. Damn it! This whole time and he was probably laughing in my face…" Digging behind his shirt he pulled out a handgun and rechecked it. "Let's go. We can't have a spy so close to Sasuke when Orochimaru makes his move."

-End of Chapter Eight-


	10. Chapter 9

Time to Protect, Time to kill

Chapter Nine

…

"I think Sasuke's catching on," Naruto said, his blue-eyes glancing to Gaara who was beside him. They were both making their way to the classroom where Kabuto was last seen. Gaara made an acknowledging sound. "Itachi knows he won't be able to keep it secret for long. I was thinking that I should just tell him."

"Tell Sasuke that the brother who murdered their parents is alive?" Gaara said in his plain and forward way.

Naruto made an annoyed sound in the back of his throat. "Well, yeah…I mean, back then Itachi really had no choice. I don't blame him and when Sasuke hears the story I'm sure he'll forgive him…"

"You know it won't be so simple, Naruto."

Naruto gave a lazy shrug along with a sigh. "I just think that this charade should be over."

Gaara stopped moving and Naruto stopped also. The red-head gave Naruto a hard, searching look. "So that you don't have to lie to Sasuke anymore." It wasn't a question. Naruto turned his head away. "That's what this is about, is it not? You want to tell Sasuke who you really are."

"It's not just that!" Naruto said turning back to face Gaara. "This is about Itachi." The blond moved a hand through his wild locks. "Itachi and Sasuke…they are brothers. I know Itachi cares for Sasuke, and I just want everything in the open."

"When Sasuke does find out that Itachi is alive and near, he is going to want revenge." Gaara's voice somewhat softened. "You can't get between them. Respect Itachi's decision." Naruto didn't look convinced. "Itachi's wish is for Sasuke to have a normal life" Gaara paused "…for as long as it may last."

"Aha! So you _do_ think that Sasuke's gonna find out!"

"Orochimaru isn't exactly subtle."

"Heh, you're right about that." Naruto's lips turned upward into a reminiscent smile. "Hey, remember that time in Osaka?"

Gaara's lips curled upwards as well. "Of course. Over twenty of Orochimaru's men dead and he barely escaped by having to hijack a civilians truck."

With a laugh Naruto said, "We chased Orochimaru for over an hour…I still can't believe that Orochimaru got away from us that day." Naruto groaned, "That damn snake. He just somehow finds a way to slither away each time. But he always makes sure to leave destruction behind."

After a moment of silence Gaara gave Naruto a questioning look.

Naruto released another sigh. "Fine. I won't tell him anything. When the time comes I'm sure all the pieces will fall in front of Sasuke." Naruto groaned. "Damn the drama that we assassins go through."

Gaara gave a small smile and motioned his hand forward. "Shall we go do what we do best?"

Naruto nodded his blond head. "Lets go take care of Kabuto."

…

Just as Gaara predicted, that Orochimaru Spy, Kabuto, was waiting for them. Upon entering the classroom Naruto locked eyes with Kabuto who stood at the front of the room. Kabuto's grey eyes sparked and the bastard smiled brazenly at them. He gave a _follow me_ gesture and slipped out the back of the room.

"That son-of-a -bitch!" Naruto exclaimed as he dashed across the classroom ignoring the curious students and the confused teacher who was in the middle of a lecture.

Gaara responded much more professionally. He walked back out the door he came through, all the while assessing where Kabuto's final destination would be. The red-head walked calmly. His mind going over the school's and the surrounding area's layout. If a gun showdown was to take place- far, which is what it will probably come down to, too many people were present. The only isolated place where a 'exchange' would be possible was that broken-down apartment complex down the block.

He knew Naruto was brash and Gaara took it at stride. He was just glad that the classroom they interrupted didn't hold Uchiha Sasuke.

Stepping outside the campus, the red-head followed the obvious trail of Naruto. Trashcans that were knocked over and it's contents spilled onto the sidewalk. The students who were talking loudly and gossiping over seeing a raving blond run past them. As well as the unfortunate students who were pushed over and literally stepped on.

Finally he came to the estimated place and heard the telltale sound of silenced gunfire. Entering the building he found Naruto crouched behind a wooden table reloading his revolver.

It was Naruto's 'sweetheart' as he liked to call it. The .357 revolver was pitch black, with a crimson-colored-fox printed on the handle. It had a silencer attached to it and it even had an attachable scope. Gaara never cared for revolvers, the reloading of the gun was too 'troublesome' as Shikamaru might say. But Naruto had the reloading down pat. It was art to him. Naruto loved to reload his gun bullet by bullet. It was the only time, Gaara would say, when he was elegant and graceful. When truthfully, it was just a way for the blond to show off. Plus, it added a type of suspense and thrill for Naruto.

Gaara ducked down alongside Naruto and he pulled out his own handgun. A simple thing really. It was small and accurate. Everything Gaara needed. His real specialty landed in close combat.

"Nice of you to join me." Naruto said as he returned fire.

"What have I missed," Gaara asked.

"Absolutely nothing." Naruto peered over the table. "The asshole just ran into this building and started firing."

"Did you call for backup?" Gaara asked although he already knew the answer.

"They are on alert but they're not coming in here. I told them we can handle this."

Kabuto returned fire and he ran up a visible stairway. Naruto quickly got up to pursue him. "Wait, Naruto." Gaara said. "Someone's probably up there with him."

The blond shook his head and spoke over his shoulder. " Nope. Agents said they searched this building not one hour ago. Nothing found."

"Then he's stalling for backup or has an escape plan."

Naruto agreed. "Then we should get him before he leaves, yeah?" The blond ran up the stairway knowing Gaara would follow.

With a roll of his eyes, Gaara did follow. He cautiously moved to the side and peered around the corner once he had reached the top of the stairwell.

"You're surrounded, Kabuto. Surrender." Naruto called out.

Gaara watched as the smile on Kabuto's face turned into a grin. "You know…" The silver-head began. "I was wondering when you guys would come after me." Naruto narrowed his blue eyes. "All this time…" Kabuto let out a chuckle as he leaned against the wall. "And just _now _have you figured out who I really am. Quite pathetic if you ask me."

Naruto growled.

Gaara gave Naruto a look. He could see the blonds' hand shaking. His finger itching to pull the trigger. With the silent warning The red-head reminded Naruto that they needed Kabuto alive. Kabuto no doubt knew this as well. So little is known about Orochimaru. His whereabouts, his plots, and his associates. They needed every lead they can get. Alive.

With a strained voice Naruto called out again. "Throw your gun away, come quietly, and I won't kill you.

Kabuto released another annoying chuckle. "Uzumaki Naruto. I know you. We've meet before but I doubt you'll remember."

Naruto tensed.

"You were in so much pain-"

"Shut up!"

"I bet you could barely see a few inches in front of you with all that blood running down your face."

"I said, SHUT UP!"

Turning to Naruto, Gaara could see his whole body shaking. They were talking about the time Naruto was taken. Trapped in Orochimaru's evil, torturous clutches.

"I was surprised you lived."

"Shut the fuck up!" Naruto yelled as he raised his gun and pointed it at Kabuto.

Gaara step toward Naruto, laying a steady hand on the trembling arm. Naruto's bright blue eyes turned to Gaara's pale green ones. The red-head could see that Naruto was recalling the past. Fear, agony, and so much anger were in those eyes. Naruto had never spoken of that time. Not even to Gaara. No matter how many times he asked. "Naruto." Gaara said calmly.

Naruto lowered his gun only to snap back to attention when Kabuto moved to the window at the side. "Don't fucking move!" Naruto yelled.

Kabuto gave an easy grin, a mock salute, and jumped out the two-story window.

Naruto and Gaara ran to the window and found a van driving away with Kabuto on top. "FUCK!" Naruto cussed. One hand gripping his revolver as the other clutched his blond hair. "Damn it!"

"Calm down, Naruto." Gaara stated as he put his handgun away. "There was nothing we could of done."

"We could of killed the fucker." Naruto said with a growl.

Glancing his way Gaara replied. "You know we couldn't do that. Kabuto is one of the few people who works closely with Orochimaru. He's more valuable alive."

Naruto put his revolver away. "But more satisfying dead."

"Lets go. We need to check in with the other agents and with Itachi's little brother."

…

"Hey, Sasuke." Naruto said as he eased into the seat beside him.

"Look whose back." Sasuke stated. His eyes not leaving the professor who was at the front of the room. "Considering how quickly you left to be with…" The raven paused here as though the next word was poison to say. "Gaara."

Naruto gave a teasing smile. "Don't be so jealous, babe. Gaara and me are just old friends."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Hmmm, so do you have sex with all your old friends?"

Naruto quickly shook his head. His hands coming up defensibly. "No, no. Well, I mean yes. Wait! What I mean to say is that me and Gaara have history."

Sasuke finally looked at Naruto. Assessing him. "History. Meaning there's no present."

"Exactly!" Naruto moved closer to Sasuke, making sure to invade his personal bubble. "You know you're the only one for me, baby."

Sasuke was satisfied…for the moment. When Naruto had left with that red-head, Sasuke was thinking over his plans. He knew he was attracted to the blond and the blond was obviously attracted to him. What they needed was to take it to the next step. He was tired of all this back and forth, double and hidden meanings, and toeing the line but never crossing it. Plus, seeing Naruto walk off with someone else triggered a deep possessive nature.

Seeing how Naruto was prone to use only words. It was up to Sasuke to make the first move. And Sasuke didn't mind that at all. He waited until the blond stopped invading his personal space. He watched as Naruto dug out a piece of paper and started to jot down the notes that was on the black board up front.

"You do know a test will be given tomorrow, right?"

Naruto's eyes slightly widened. "What?"

The raven smirked, he knew Naruto was going to react like that.

"Damn, Sasuke. I'm going to have to study." Turning his blue-eyes to Sasuke the blond gave a mischievous grin. "Of course you can always tutor me." Naruto let his shoulder brush with Sasuke's and the raven didn't mind. "You can be the Teacher and I'll be the Student. Now, wouldn't that be kinky?"

Sasuke faced Naruto's twinkling eyes and gave a casual shrug. "I suppose." Sasuke was absolutely delighted when disbelief flooded the blue-eyes.

"Y-you serious?" The blond stuttered.

Sasuke smirked. He could understand Naruto's disbelief- it wasn't everyday that Uchiha Sasuke decided to tutor you. Or agree that the Teacher-Student relation could be kinky. "Yeah, I'll give you some _private _lessons."

…

Naruto was _stunned. _Was Sasuke flirting with him? Watching as the raven's smirk widened, Naruto concluded that he was indeed.

Letting his hand fall to the small end of Sasuke's back he leaned over and whispered in Sasuke's ear. "I would love that."

…

"So this is your place?" Naruto said as he stepped into Sasuke's apartment. "Not bad."

Sasuke inwardly smiled as he watched Naruto take a seat at his couch. The blond looked oddly domestic. He had only seen Naruto at the University. Seeing him at a different setting was…well, hot.

The raven closed the door behind him. Then as always- the door just opened back up. Karin. "Sasuke, you're late again! I was going to-" Karin stopped her loud chatter and stared dumbly at the blond across the room. "Who the Hell is that!"

Sasuke suppressed a groan. Karin was such a pain. "This is Uzumaki Naruto. Naruto, this is my overzealous neighbor, Karin."

Naruto lifted up a hand in a way of a greeting. "Yo!"

Karin continued to dumbly stare. This was a first. Sasuke had never brought anyone home with him. Never! "What the fuck is going on!" Karin yelled. Her hands gripping her bright red locks and tugging.

"Karin." Sasuke said in a hard voice.

Karin managed to turn her head between her hyperventilating breathing.

"Out."

Again Karin dumbly stared. Naruto could practically see the gears in Karin's head spinning as she tried to process the meaning of the word.

Sasuke sighed when he realized he was going to have to use force. With Karin as still as a statue, he grabbed her upper arm and pulled her out. Once she was beyond his doorway he closed the door in her face.

Naruto chuckled. "You think she'll be fine out there?"

"I don't care." Sasuke replied moving toward Naruto to stand in front of him.

Naruto looked up and grinned. "So what would you like to do now that we're finally alone?"

Sasuke knew that Naruto was just teasing. But he realized something. This was the first time they were truly alone. They were always at the University or surround by people. That kiss they shared just two days ago was an act Naruto put on. How was it to kiss Naruto for real? With no pretences.

Sasuke drew closer to Naruto. Resting his knee on the couch beside the blonds' thigh.

Sasuke had brought Naruto to his apartment on the pretense of a tutoring session. But looking into Naruto's mischievous bright, blue eyes, he concluded that the tutoring charade was thrown out the window long ago.

Quickly Sasuke closed the distance between them. Landing his lips a little too hard on Naruto's. But Naruto didn't seem to mind because he immediately reacted. His hands gripping Sasuke's sides harshly and pulling him flush against him as though saying, _Its about time_!

The kiss was fast and sloppy. Both having to stop to catch a breath. As Naruto leaned forward, their foreheads touching in an affectionate way, he breathed Sasuke's scent deeply. "Sasuke," he said intensely.

It sent shivers down Sasuke's body and he reconnected their lips once again, unable to help himself.

Naruto tasted like citrus Sasuke concluded as Naruto's tongue swiped against his again and again. The raven rolled his tongue along with his hips and relished in the moans that Naruto issued. Just when Sasuke thought he was going to win their tongue battle, he was thrown onto the couch.

The blond forcibly parted the ravens legs and laid between them. His obvious erection coming into contact with Sasuke's roughly. Sasuke hissed in pleasure and slight pain- The fabric of his pants were harsh and so damn tight; Naruto above him, _pressing_.

Hot kisses trailed down his neck. Hands lifting his shirt up and exploring his chest. Everything was happening so fast. Everything so heated and rapid. It was like an explosion that finally, _finally _happened. Damn, and how perfect it was. Naruto grinded down hard on him, over and over again. The movement almost sent him overboard and they haven't even undressed yet. God, it was so fucking perfect!

Naruto moved a large tan hand further up Sasuke's chest to reach a nipple. He flicked and teased it. Sasuke promptly become a heated mess underneath him. His kisses, his touches, Sasuke couldn't get enough as he grabbed the front of Naruto's shirt in a tight grip. His hips moving up to meet each and every one of Naruto's thrusts. He was so damn close! So close but he didn't want to come like this. "W-Wait.." Sasuke breathed. Naruto just slammed harder onto him. "Wait, you idiot!"

Through his heated vision he saw Naruto look up at him. "I'm so close, baby." Naruto said in an almost pleading tone.

Sasuke cried out as Naruto's hands wrapped around the back of his thighs and lifted to pull them closer together. One of Sasuke's legs practically tossed over Naruto's shoulder. The thrusts becoming harder and faster. "Damn it!" Sasuke moaned as he climaxed, Naruto following close after him.

Both were breathing so fast, puffs of hot and loud breaths coming out without restraint. After a few moments, where they calmed down, Naruto slowly moved off Sasuke. The two of them sitting side by side on the couch.

"Moron," Sasuke breathed as he looked over at Naruto, feeling disappointment but nonetheless satisfied. "Why did you do that!" The raven sat up and grimaced as he felt the moisture in his pants.

"Sorry." Naruto replied lamely. His face was unreadable but he was smiling as he leaned over and gave Sasuke a chaste kiss on the lips. "I couldn't stop." He mumbled in between kisses.

Sasuke inwardly smiled as he kissed Naruto back. "Moron," he repeated, feeling a warmth fill his chest.

They continued kissing but before it could get heated Naruto's cell phone rang.

Naruto made a move to get it. "Ignore it." Sasuke demanded, bringing Naruto down for a thorough kiss.

Naruto groaned. "I can't, baby." The blond tore away, reluctantly. Answering the phone on the forth ring. "Hello?"

"Report to base." Gaara sounded urgent despite the steady tone.

"On my way." Naruto replied automatically. Once he hung up he looked at Sasuke who was still at his side. "I got to go."

Sasuke frowned. Or was that a pout, Naruto thought amused. "Can't it wait?"

Naruto grinned. "It sounds like you are the one who can't wait." Sasuke didn't deny it as he continued to stare at Naruto. The blond stood up, pulling on his jacket. "Nope, Sorry. I'll see ya tomorrow." With one last kiss he was out the door.

Sasuke blinked. His good mood from before diminishing. It didn't help in the least when Karin came busting through the door yelling.

-End of Chapter Nine-


	11. Chapter 10

Time to Protect, Time to kill

Chapter Ten!

…

"I can't believe you made me hurry all the way back here when nothing is wrong." Naruto snapped as he flopped down on the couch back at his own apartment.

Gaara, who was standing by the entrance of the kitchen, a bag of cookies in his hands, they were oatmeal this time, merely shrugged. "I figured I should get you out of there before something irreversible happened."

"Too late," Naruto muttered as he shifted so that the stickiness in his pants weren't so noticeable. He had rushed all the way from Sasuke's apartment. Now that he was here and aware that there was no actual emergency, Naruto was just tired and wanted to take a shower. However as his blue-eyes came into contact with sea-green, he knew that Gaara wanted to talk.

"I couldn't help it, okay?" He blurted, running a hand through his blond spikes. Gaara's blank stare felt accusing. "I couldn't control myself but it's not like he didn't want it either!"

Gaara didn't acknowledge Naruto's raising voice. He was used to it. "Do you regret it?" he asked with genuine curiosity as he took out another oatmeal cookie and nibbled on it.

Naruto paused, choosing his words carefully. "No," he finally said thoughtfully. "Irreversible but not regrettable. I haven't felt this way in a long time."

That got Gaara's attention. The red-head stopped nibbling on his cookie and crooked an eyebrow. Naruto saying he felt something was a big deal. He was always a player and carefree with his sexual life. Well, that was since…"Ever since Haku?"

Naruto fell forward with a groan and buried his face into his hands. "Why the hell did you have to say his name, Gaara?"

Gaara, who wasn't aware he said the name aloud, decided to pursue the topic. "Haku was your last serious relationship." Gaara spoke bluntly and without forgiveness. "He's the reason why you nearly gave up on love."

As Naruto peered through his fingers to the carpeted floor below him, he couldn't help but curse Haku in his mind. Naruto had loved Haku. They were partners when they were apprentices. For two years they worked together and became lovers. That was until he found out that Haku was an undercover assassin for the MIST company.

Till this day, nearly a decade later, Naruto could recall every second of their first encounter ….and their last encounter. Haku had died before Naruto could ask him if he really ever loved him.

"Haku," Naruto started, the name tasting like acid and his throat constricting. "It's different than it was with Haku." Naruto let his hands fall from his face. An exhausted gesture. "I was young back then."

"Then are you saying you believe in love now?" Gaara went back to eating his half-eaten cookie. He watched as Naruto paused again. Gaara couldn't remember the last time he looked so serious.

"I think so."

Gaara looked on, giving Naruto a silent message to continue talking. "Sasuke is totally different. A totally different feeling! And yes, I do believe that it could be love!" His hands were flying everywhere as he spoke. His tone frantic but sincere. "I don't know what it is about him…"

Naruto didn't finish his sentence but he didn't have to. Gaara understood. "About time," Gaara said in his own teasing way. A sincere smile making itself known on his lips. "I was worried about you."

Naruto released a chuckle as he returned the smile. "Thank you, Gaara."

Gaara gave a terse nod of his head and he pulled out another cookie. "Now all you have to worry about is Itachi."

Naruto didn't want to hear that. He sent a warning glare toward Gaara but the red-head ignored it and continued talking.

"Although I'm happy for you- this situation is quite difficult." Gaara started. "Itachi has spent so much effort making sure his little brother has a normal life. Unaware of the danger and the assassins that circle him. And now Itachi will find out that his little brother is having an affair with one." The corner of Gaara's lips titled upward. "Quite a situation indeed."

Naruto groaned. "Itachi's going to have my head for this, isn't he?"

Gaara's smile seemed to widen.

"This isn't funny, Gaara." Naruto pouted.

Gaara gave that lazy shrug again. He finished his cookie and pulled out another one.

"Also, it not like I-" Naruto abruptly paused, his eyes fixated on Gaara, more specifically- Gaara's hand. Naruto shot up from his seat. "Hey! Those are mine!" He made his way toward the redhead and swiped the bag of cookies from his hand. "Hinata-chan just made these!"

"They're good." Gaara stated, his pale-green eyes following Naruto as he made his way into the kitchen. The blond opened up a cupboard and tucked them away.

"Look at my kitchen!" Naruto screeched. His blue-eyes wide as he analyzed the destruction. "Every-fucking-time, Gaara!"

Gaara gave that offhanded shrug again that Naruto always found irritating. "I was looking for food."

Naruto groaned but he waved a dismissive hand not wanting to deal with the matter right now. "Whatever." Blue-eyes locked with pale green. "I don't know what to do next." The blond said in a serious voice, going back to their previous conversation. Gaara picked up on the tone and he gave his undivided attention. Naruto was glad to have someone to talk about this with. "Once Sasuke finds out who I am,…who I'm working for…"

"You're afraid he's not going to forgive you."

Naruto felt his throat constricting again. "I feel like such a jackass! After everything that happened with Haku… I'm afraid it's just going to repeat itself. Haku lied to me exactly the same way I'm lying to Sasuke!"

"It's different. You love Sasuke." Gaara said trying to sound reassuring.

Naruto appreciated the gesture and smiled. He then shifted and grimaced. "I'm going to take a quick shower."

As soon as Naruto was gone Gaara went straight into the kitchen. He tore it apart until he found his little bag of cookies.

…

"It's morning!" Naruto realized as he sat up in bed. The body beside him, Gaara, grumbled in his sleep. Looking at his alarm clock the blond took a breath of relief. It was still early. He had woken up two hours before his alarm usually sounded.

The mattress moved and Naruto turned his blue-eyes to view Gaara rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The redhead was wearing a crimson colored shirt along with matching sweat pants.

When Gaara had insisted they sleep in the same bed last night, Naruto forced Gaara to wear some clothes. Naruto also insisted that Gaara sleep with his back facing Naruto. The redhead had the tendency to get grabby in the middle of the night. In the past Naruto often woke up from being squeezed too hard. Gaara mumbling in his sleep, 'teddy bear' 'teddy bear'.

Naruto got up, his hands smoothing out the wrinkles in his orange sleep shirt as he gave a yawn. "Gaara, could you get the updates from the agents around campus. I'll get the updated reports from the agents at Sasuke's apartment.

Gaara nodded his head already setting out to work.

When Naruto went to the kitchen, a phone pressed to his ear, he had initially intended to make breakfast. But when his blue eyes landed on the renewed destruction he knew there was no breakfast to savage. The blond instead sat at his kitchen table and listened to the agent on the line give his report.

"At 9:52 last night, the living room light turned off and the bedroom light turned on. At 11:03 pm the bedroom light turned off and no movement was registered on the sensors in the other parts of the apartment. No suspicious movement was recorded outside the apartment as well. Lets see,.. Approximately 20 minutes ago, Sasuke woke and was spotted in his kitchen. I believe he was making coffee." The agent said.

Naruto released a breath he didn't know he was holding. He was beyond relieved to know that Sasuke was okay. If it was up to Naruto he wouldn't let Sasuke out of his sight. Pulling all-nighters every which way. But Naruto knew better, and he also knew Orochimaru.

Orochimaru preferred to strike during the daytime. It was his signature to cause a huge scene. To spill blood on a busy street in broad daylight. He loved chaos. So Naruto had to be ready and well rested.

The blond closed his phone just in time to see Gaara enter through the doorway. "Agents didn't notice anything unusual last night at the campus." he stated.

Naruto nodded his head another wave of relief washing over him. He had a sinking feeling in his gut that Orochimaru was going to make his move at the university.

A knock on the door drew their attention. Naruto gingerly stood up, Gaara following behind him, and went to open the door. Hinata-chan was standing there, wearing a cute sundress, with her hands behind her back.

She looked up, her lavender eyes locking with azure. With her hesitant but sweet way she smiled but the smile quickly fell away when her eyes landed on Gaara. Hinata flushed deep red and stuttered out. "O-Oh, I-it's t-true!"

Naruto turned to Gaara confused. Gaara just blinked.

"N-Neji-nii-san told me b-but I d-didn't b-believe it!" Her eyes were becoming moist.

Naruto panicked. He hated seeing a distraught woman. "Whoa, slow down, Hinata-chan!" Naruto said, his hands moving forward to steady the hyperventilating woman.

"Y-you, you- you're GAY!" She cried. Her voice higher than Naruto ever heard the shy girl speak. "Why does e-everyone I like t-turn out g-gay!"

Naruto was stunned by the out burst and couldn't help but chuckle awkwardly. Seeing that they were still in the hallway, even though the hallway was clear, he ushered her inside. She stepped inside and wiped a tear from her eye. "Yeah, it's true." Hinata cried louder. Naruto panicked again. "But I'm not gay with Gaara!" He said hoping it'll calm her down.

Hinata looked up to peer at Gaara. Gaara looked back and spoke bluntly. "I'm gay but Naruto refuses to have sex with me." The red-head then looked down at his sleeping clothes in disgust. "I would rather be naked right now."

There was a moment of silence.

Naruto released another awkward chuckle. "Listen, you're a really sweet girl, Hinata-chan. I would be all over you if I wasn't-"

"R-Really?"

"Most definitely!" Naruto replied with a grin. Hinata-chan smiled back wiping another tear from her eyes.

Hinata took a few moments to compose herself. Her face burning red with embarrassment at her own outburst. Naruto silently watched her, wishing he had been more careful and hadn't brought the girls hopes up. He really, really, hated seeing a girl cry.

A loud stomach rumbling broke the awkwardness in the atmosphere. Hinata and Naruto both turned toward Gaara who was dumbly looking down at his tummy. "I guess I'm hungry," he said plainly but at the same time it sounded like the redhead made a huge discovery.

Hinata giggled at Gaara. "I-I just finished baking some banana m-muffins if you guys w-want some?"

Gaara, looking like he made another great discovery, stepped forward. "You're the one who bakes the cookies."

"Ah?"

"I wish to have more."

Naruto broke in, his hands holding Gaara's upper arm because the redhead suddenly looked like a wild bear who caught sight of a picnic basket. "Hehe, what Gaara means to say is that he loves your cookies and that he would love to have a muffin."

Gaara nodded childlike in agreement.

Hinata giggled again. "Okay. Follow me."

Gaara nodded again and obediently followed Hinata out the door to head to her apartment.

"Count me out guys. I'm going to the University." Naruto said with a smile. He then looked at Gaara. A silent message passing between them. They both knew to be on alert for Orochimaru but they both also knew that Orochimaru wouldn't be making a move until the day after tomorrow. Plus many of Orochimaru's men were under surveillance, if any of them made their way toward the university, KAGE would know and be ready for them.

They parted ways. Hinata promising to save Naruto a muffin. Naruto walked back into his apartment. Going to his bedroom to change clothes for the day.

…

With a slight bounce in his step Naruto walked into the University. He couldn't wait to see Sasuke. He really, really couldn't wait. Just to talk to him, tease him,…kiss him. Naruto was grinning happily. Though the grin fell away each time he spotted a fellow agent. Many agents were posted throughout campus. Posing to be students or teachers. Naruto couldn't help but acknowledge each one. The reminder of Orochimaru right before his eyes. It was getting harder and harder for his grin to reappear.

But as it turned out the sight of Sasuke cured his smile.

"Hey, baby!" Naruto called. Sasuke turned toward Naruto and presented a smirk for a greeting. Naruto opened his mouth to say more but was caught unprepared when the raven grabbed his arm and weaved him through the crowd toward an unknown destination. "Wa- hold on. Where are you taking me?"

The blond was pushed through a door and into a darkened room. His back hit a wall, his shoulder hitting something painful, he was about to complain about the roughness until the feel of Sasuke's lips touched his.

As it turned out Sasuke's lips cured pain.

The kiss was deep and needy. Sasuke pressed up against him like a missing puzzle piece. It was bliss. "Couldn't wait. Could ya?" Naruto teased against the others lips. The blond could feel Sasuke's smirk widen, along with the raven's hand trailing down his chest toward the quickly forming bulge in his pants. Sasuke cupped him roughly and Naruto let out a moan.

It was starting to get hot. Sasuke kissing him and _oh god _grinding against him. Just as Naruto felt the coil of pleasure clench in his gut Sasuke completely pulled away from him leaving him feeling cold.

"W-What the hell!"

Sasuke just smirked that damn smirk again. "After last night... Leaving me unsatisfied like that. You had this coming." Sasuke replied. His tone coming out more teasingly than it was meant to.

Naruto groaned. His head hitting the wall behind him. "You're a bastard."

Sasuke smiled.

The sight made Naruto's mind go blank. All of his troubles. Everything about Orochimaru. All his worries about telling Sasuke the truth and about Itachi… Everything just vanished. When was the last time the world felt so right? Never. Never before. Damn, Sasuke was something else entirely.

The blond leaned forward and kissed him. The kiss was soft and loving. Sasuke was totally unprepared for it. He had tensed but his muscles relaxed and he responded to the kiss.

Damn, this felt right.

Naruto hoped, desperately hoped, that after everything was over. After the smoke cleared, when the truth was out, that Sasuke would still be beside him.

…

"Um." Hinata said shyly.

Gaara looked at her. His face seemed blank but his eyes were practically pleading. "Do you have more?" The redhead looked over her shoulder and into her kitchen. My, he would give anything to go through her cupboards. Hell, he'll settle with riffling through her trash!

Hinata began to shake her head, her hands holding an empty plate, but she stopped. She couldn't say no to Gaara. He was looking terribly cute with all those crumbs on his face. "I'll p-put more in the oven." She declared.

Gaara visibly brightened.

For a minute the only sounds in the small apartment was Hinata preparing cookies. The next thing Gaara knew the front door opened and in stepped a man.

There was no knock to announce his presence so Gaara automatically went to the defensive. His hand going for the blade that he kept concealed near his ankle.

"Neji-nii-san."

So Hinata knew him. Gaara relaxed and kept his blade veiled. The man was tall. Dark hair. Lovely skin, Gaara noted. His eyes gave away the obvious kinship between Hinata and him. Maybe a brother?

"Who is this?" Neji asked a little to harshly. He didn't like the fact that an unknown man was inside of Hinata's apartment.

Hinata stuttered. "T-This is a f-friend of Naruto-kun."

Neji stared at Gaara openly and Gaara felt as though he should say something. "I wanted cookies."

From the background Hinata giggled and Neji relaxed. "I see."

Gaara's sea-green eyes followed Neji's every move as the raven found a seat across from him. Now it was Neji's turn to be stared at openly. Neji wasn't sure what to say. Though he couldn't help but look Gaara up and down. Gaara was easily attractive. Dark red hair, large eyes, and lovely skin, he noted.

Gaara was exactly his type.

Gaara was also thinking along the same lines.

"So you're a friend of Naruto?" Neji asked. Hoping to ease into conversation and to fully understand what Gaara meant to Naruto. Hopefully the redhead wasn't taken. It had been a while since he found anyone instantly attractive so he decided to pursue it.

Gaara picked up on the subtle vibe and answered bluntly and straightforwardly. "Naruto's not my boyfriend. I'm single and I have been sex deprived." Gaara suddenly stepped toward him. "I ask you would be able to remedy that."

Neji blinked. Somewhere in the background Hinata gasped but neither heard her. Neji than smiled. He was beginning to really like this redhead.

"I'm Hyuuga Neji." He introduced himself with a hand offered forward.

Gaara's lips twisted upward as he took the hand into a firm handshake. His fingers lingering a tad longer than required. "Gaara."

-End of chapter Ten-


	12. Chapter 11

TTP,TTK

Chapter Eleven!

…

"I will not allow it." The stern voice of Tsunade, the head of KAGE, was enough for Itachi's step to falter. He stopped in the middle of the doorway, that was her office, as he heard her raise from her seat and take a step toward him. "There has to be another way." She said softly.

He turned around and faced her. Itachi's face carefully blank but determined. "…It's the only way."

The woman, who was looking older these days, breathed a sigh of defeat. "Naruto is not going to like this," she said. Her hand coming up to massage her temples in slight frustration. She could never convince or sway Itachi otherwise after he has made a decision. What was the point of being the boss then? She was getting too old for this.

"Orochimaru is moving faster than any of us anticipated." Itachi continued, elaborating his decision further. "I will not let him take Sasuke when the one he's after is me."

Tsunade shook her head. Her blond hair moving with the motion. "You know as well as I do that Orochimaru is greedy. Even if you go to Orochimaru yourself he will still go after Sasuke."

They locked eyes for a moment. The air still and a silence swallowing the room. Itachi finally broke the eye contact, turning around and facing the open doorway once again. "I know that," his tone was confident. "That's why I left Sasuke in Naruto's care." Itachi strode through the door leaving those as his parting words.

…

"Stop being such a bastard, Sasuke." Naruto whispered into the raven's ear making sure his hot breath fanned it's way down the pale neck.

The smirk that was on Sasuke's face only stretched, along with the hand that he had placed on Naruto's thigh. Before, Sasuke had loved to annoy Naruto. He would throw an insult or two just to see Naruto all riled up. But now that the nature of their relationship changed, so did the way he riled up Naruto.

The blond withheld a hiss of pleasure as the raven's hand caressed him a tad more forcefully. They were in the middle of class and Naruto didn't exactly want to make a scene. However his sense of right and wrong was quickly leaving him with each stroke that neared his groin. "Goddamn it, Sasuke." The blond breathed warningly. He was loving it and hating it at the same. Sasuke was such a tease, he didn't know what he had gotten himself into.

Sasuke leaned toward him, a smirk still playing on his lips. "What's wrong, Naruto?"

See? He's such a tease. "You know goddamn well what's wrong." Naruto said, a growl threatening to spill from his throat. His blue eyes darted to the front of the room. The professor was writing notes on the huge blackboard, you know, one of those that took up nearly the whole wall. Judging by how the blackboard was already more than halfway covered in white chalk, the five minute break that always took place between lectures, was coming up soon. "Before long I'll make it right."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow in question but Naruto ignored him, as well as the hand that was still on his thigh. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the five minute break commenced and Naruto promptly dragged Sasuke out the classroom door. He needed to take Sasuke somewhere secluded. He'd doubt Sasuke would appreciate it if Naruto promptly made-out with him with so many students nearby. He doubted he'll be able to stop once he started.

"In a hurry aren't we?" Sasuke taunted. Naruto's reply was a tug of impatience. The blond weaved them though a throng of students and teachers toward the far set of bathrooms. Sasuke, finally having enough of being dragged around, stopped in his tracks. "Not in the restrooms." He said sternly, crossing his arms for added affect.

Naruto couldn't help but grin. He was going to make a comment, something along the lines of 'prissy bastard' but he held his tongue and said instead. "Then you lead the way."

Sasuke smirked in victory and amusement. Soon enough Naruto found himself in an all too familiar dark, unused classroom. "Why is this classroom always empty?" The blond asked as he watched Sasuke turn the lock on the door.

"The curriculum was dropped. Three classrooms in this hall are going unused until next year."

Score! That's what you call convenience. Naruto smiled and his voice dropped to a low sultry level. "Well, not entirely unused…" The blond then dipped his head to kiss Sasuke on the lips. That one little act revved everything into motion. Sasuke's back was pressed harshly and urgently against the opposite wall. His raven head titling up and his mouth open. Deep, wet kisses echoed through the dim classroom. He could feel Naruto smile against his lips. Sasuke grabbing the back of his head to deepen the kiss all over again.

Naruto, as he enjoyed every second of his mouth moving in sync with Sasuke's, moved his large hands under the ravens shirt, caressing the smooth, fit stomach underneath. He willed his blue eyes open to watch as the raven arched to his every touch. Their bodies reacting to each other pleasantly. Aside from the occasional gasp, Sasuke didn't make much noise. Those that did spill from his lips, those satisfied moans that told him everything he ever wanted to know, fueled Naruto further and faster.

It all felt like too much and, _damn it, _not enough. The blond knew he was breathing too heavily. Hell, his chest ached as though it would explode. How is it, that after all of the sexual encounters that Naruto's been through, that this one is easily, and most definitely, the most intense?

Into a willing pale neck Naruto sank his teeth. A long moan followed and Naruto just had to kiss those lips again. Damn, he could kiss Sasuke all day.

Sasuke's hands wandered from Naruto's shoulders down to his sides. In a flash of realization Naruto completely tensed. If Sasuke moved his hands just a little bit lower and just a little bit to the right- Naruto's small 9mm handgun would be revealed. The blond cursed inwardly. Their hot make-out session could quickly turn into a very awkward conversation about why Naruto had a gun tucked away in his pants.

The assassin-turned-bodyguard quickly grabbed Sasuke's hands and he firmly pinned them above the ravens head. In a low sexy voice, a grin in place, Naruto spoke. "Keep your hands to yourself." He then let his tongue taste the length of Sasuke's neck. "This is your punishment for teasing me in class."

Sasuke seemed to like that, if the groan of undiluted pleasure was anything to go by. Naruto's grin widened and he used his free hand, his other hand locking both of Sasuke's wrists onto the wall, to travel down and cup his captive's covered semi-erection.

Sasuke's breath only hitched and Naruto frowned. "I want to hear your voice, baby." The blond said as he pressed their bodies flush together.

Sasuke's response was a challenging smile. "Then give me something to moan about, _Naruto._" The way the raven said Naruto's name sent a tremor running down the blonds' spine. Sasuke followed with a thrust of his hips that almost sent Naruto buckling.

Sasuke smirked and dominated for a while longer until Naruto finally had enough. He increased his grip on Sasuke's wrists, to almost painful levels, his other hand reaching down and unzipping Sasuke's pants. "I want to fuck you so bad, Sasuke." He reached in and wrapped his hand around Sasuke. The action made the ravens head fall back, his dark eyes snap shut, and his bruised lips parting. "But not here." Naruto kissed his lips. "I want to take you on a bed." Another kiss. His hand running up and down Sasuke's length. "Go all night until you're sore. Till you can't walk the next morning." A long kiss along with a tight squeeze. "Until your voice is so hoarse from screaming my name over and over again." Naruto pumped Sasuke hard, escalating, going faster and faster. "Would you like that, Sasuke?"

With a drawn out moan Sasuke came into Naruto's hand. Naruto made sure Sasuke rode out his orgasm, pumping him a few more times and then tucking him back in. Naruto kissed his lips once more and spoke into his ear. "Let's get back to class, Sasuke."

…

"Gaara."

The redhead tensed from surprise. "Itachi." He replied into the receiver. Gaara rarely got calls from Itachi. First off, Itachi wasn't his boss. Hell, they didn't work in the same company. Gaara only knew and worked with Naruto, and the only times they got to work together was when their separate companies did joint missions. Why was Itachi calling him all of a sudden?

"I need to inform you on Orochimaru's updated actions." Itachi said smoothly.

Gaara narrowed his sea-green eyes. "You want me to be the one to tell Naruto." Gaara deduced, switching the phone to his other ear as he did so. He was in Naruto's apartment having just returned from gorging himself silly at Hinata's place. He didn't get to go through her garbage but he supposed he could do that another time.

"Yes." Itachi replied directly.

Gaara stared blankly ahead. The phone being cradled on his shoulder as he spoke. "I assume Naruto is not going to like this news so you're unloading the task onto me." Gaara was frank with everybody. Itachi was no acceptation.

"It's more than that." Itachi said, sounding slightly annoyed. "I need your confirmation that Naruto would receive the news."

Gaara raised an eyebrow. Itachi was up to something. The redhead didn't ask, only shrugged and answered into the receiver. "I will deliver the news."

…

For the last class of the day. The clock nearing three o'clock in the afternoon. Naruto had walked through the classroom door with Sasuke and had immediately noticed Gaara. The redhead was sitting alone in the far corner. His gaze forward and a finger tapping on the desk in no particular rhythm. The fact that he had no cookies in front of him troubled Naruto.

Sasuke walked down the small carpeted stairs and sat down in his usual spot. His dark eyes watched as Naruto came up beside him and placed his books down distractingly. "What is it?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto snapped to attention and quickly gave Sasuke a grin. "Ah, nothing. I just spotted Gaara." Naruto's blue eyes swept over to Gaara's form. "I'm going to talk with him real quick. Watch my stuff." Naruto said. Sasuke had no time to reply as Naruto briskly walked away.

With annoyed, narrowed eyes, Sasuke watched as Naruto took the empty seat beside Gaara and immediately started talking. Too bad he couldn't hear what they were saying.

…

"What are you doing here, Gaara?" Naruto frowned. "Something up?"

Gaara gave a nod. "You are not going to like this."

"Goddamn it, I hate when you do that, you know?" Naruto buried his face into his hands. "Don't tell me that Orochimaru is on the move…"

Gaara was silent and Naruto lifted up his head to meet sea-green eyes. "Fuck, he is, isn't he? It's too soon! He never acts this quickly. What's going on?"

Gaara spoke calmly. "Several of Orochimaru's henchmen were spotted in town. Orochimaru himself was on his way here but he reportedly stopped."

"Stopped?"

"No one can find him."

Naruto's fisted hand slammed on the desk. The resulting sound was evident and several eyes turned toward them. The blond ignored them and leaned closer to the redhead. "Were any spotted on campus grounds? Right now we shouldn't worry about Orochimaru, he'll send a wave of his pawns first."

Gaara nodded, agreeing with Naruto on that assessment. "So far the grounds are clear but not for much longer."

Naruto groaned and glanced over his shoulder to where Sasuke was seated. The raven's hand was moving swiftly over paper with a bored expression on his face. Naruto sighed. Soon everything was going to be turned upside down. His time with Sasuke was about up and his chest constricted at the thought. The blond turned back toward Gaara. "Exiting this class we have to cross the courtyard in order to make it to the front of the building." Naruto sighed once again. "If they're on campus that's where we'll be attacked. It's one large open space so we will pretty much be open targets." Naruto cringed at the thought.

Gaara gave a nod of his head. He watched as Naruto glanced over his shoulder again. The blue eyes then sweeping across the classroom.

"There are too many civilians, Gaara." Naruto said in a small distressed voice. "Orochimaru no doubt gave the order to just come in blindly shooting." His blue eyes dulled with sadness. "I hate casualties."

The way Naruto spoke, it made Gaara tense up. He hated seeing Naruto looking so goddamn distraught. It just didn't suit him. The redhead remembered one particular mission. It was on the streets of a small normal town in which Gaara and Naruto were targeted. On a rooftop not-too-far-away a sniper laid in cover. The frantic shooting caught many bystanders. Gaara had no doubt that Naruto was thinking of the same incident.

"Do not worry, Naruto." Gaara said, in an unyielding tone. "Since this is such a public area, all the agents have been summoned. They will make sure that no civilians will get injured. SAND has also sent agents." He laid a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "All you should focus on is protecting Sasuke."

Naruto gazed at him gratefully. The blond needed to be focused. He then shook his head ridding himself of the previous sadness. A thought then emerged. "Has Lee arrived?" He asked.

Gaara removed his hand from Naruto's shoulder and bristled. "I do not know why you invited him along." The redhead said frowning.

Naruto chuckled. "Come on, Gaara." Still chuckling. "Don't tell me you guys still don't get along."

Sea-green eyes shut and he raised a hand to rub the bridge of his nose. "You know I haven't apologized to him. You did this on purpose."

Naruto looked taken aback but Gaara knew better. "Ah, just because you broke his leg, nearly crippling him, because you thought- and I quote: 'That he was from the underground world of green Smurfs'"

Gaara narrowed his eyes dangerously. "You know how much I hate Smurfs."

Naruto smiled. "Hate? I think you mean _afraid_. "

For a moment Naruto thought Gaara might hit him but then Gaara straightened in his seat and spoke with as much calmness he could muster. "I _hate _Smurfs. The fact that a green one appeared in front of me wasn't my fault. "

Naruto stomach was hurting from restraining from bursting out laughing. Gaara and Lee were quite a sight to see when they were in the same room. "Okay" -chuckle- "I'm sorry." -more giggling- "but it's so damn funny!"

Gaara made to stand up.

"Wait," Naruto said breathlessly, his chest still heaving from the uncontrolled giggles. "I didn't ask for Lee to come just to piss ya off, Gaara." Naruto coughed into his hand, the urge to laugh now gone. "I asked for him because he's one of the best and one of the few I can trust." He looked Gaara directly in the eye. "I don't care if he resembles a green Smurf. Your worst nightmare and all that. I just really need you to try and work with him."

Naruto waited for Gaara's reply. The redheads features set in what Naruto would call a pout, but he wouldn't say that to his face. "Fine." Gaara finally said. The redhead then stood up. "I'll lead the agents to the courtyard and instruct them to evacuate and protect when the raid begins."

Naruto gave a nod. "Thank you, Gaara."

"See you outside, Naruto."

The redhead left. The assassin-turned-bodyguard took a few moments to compose himself- of the heaviness of the situation and the comedy effect of Gaara's fears of Smurfs- and walked over to Sasuke and took his regular seat beside him.

The raven looked up from his notes. "What was that about?"

Naruto waved the question off with a grin. "Nothing important. Gaara needed a confidence boost in order to meet up with a green Smurf."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. From what he saw it looked like a very serious discussion. Green Smurfs? Sasuke lazily shrugged one of his shoulders and focused on the Teacher's lecture. Beside him Naruto was content on doing the same.

…

'_Calm down, Naruto!' _The blond said to himself. Sasuke and him just exited class and were headed toward the courtyard double doors. The double doors were wide open. Held there by two sizable stone bricks as the cool evening air entered with ease. In what resembled a flood, students filed away into the open courtyard. The sun was still strong in the sky and the breeze was light enough to not require a jacket. The grass was a brilliant green, trees surround the open space, and park benches were sprawled all over the place. It would have been a wonderful day, Naruto mused, if not for the impending doom. And he meant that literally.

With Sasuke beside him, Naruto's blue eyes quickly spotted agents. They surrounded the courtyard. Some between trees, some on benches, and even some on the rooftops. There were many students in the courtyard but thankfully less than Naruto first predicted there will be.

Naruto stuck to the more populated area. For one, it would make Sasuke a harder target with so many people around. Although, doing so would make the chances of somebody getting hurt, even killed, grow to an uncomfortable level.

Naruto's stomach twisted. Orochimaru's henchmen were low and troubled psychopaths. They would have no problem mowing through a crowd just to get to them.

Unconsciously, Naruto's hand landed on the small end of Sasuke's back, making them walk more closely together. Sasuke looked at him, slightly startled about the abrupt public display, but Naruto didn't seem to notice.

They were halfway through the courtyard when it happened. A gunshot resounding through the open air. Panic and mayhem rang true as people fled and fell to the ground. With one hand Naruto pushed Sasuke to the ground. Sasuke falling on his knees and his forehead held to the dirt as Naruto placed a hand on the back of his neck to hold him down.

The blond quickly knelt beside him, his other hand swiping for his gun. He pulled it out just in time to shoot the man that was coming up from behind him. A direct hit on the shoulder that caused the man to yelp in pain and drop his gun.

In the background other gunshots could be heard. Panic was still heavy in the air but it seemed as though most of the crowd had diminished and fled successfully. The agents had done their job well. Naruto, no longer worried about innocents, did a quick count of Orochimaru's followers. Thirteen. Gunshots still echoed but most of them were engaged in hand to hand.

From beside him, Sasuke's once frozen, tense body, tensed even more as he grunted and attempted to sit up. Naruto put more pressure on the back of Sasuke's neck, holding him down roughly. "Do not move." Naruto said, knowing his tone of voice was fierce and probably uncharacteristic for Sasuke to hear. But he needed to make his point across.

From the right, one of Orochimaru's followers killed an agent and was headed straight for Naruto. With practiced precision Naruto fired his gun and took him down.

Underneath his hand Naruto could feel Sasuke jump and attempt to stand up again. "I said, do not move." Sasuke tensed, his muscles tight, but he remained still. Naruto did his best to control his emotions. His blond hair swayed in the wind, his head snapping to the left just in time to block the kick that was directed at his head. The kick was powerful. His hand losing grip on his gun and falling to the floor.

Unarmed, Naruto engaged in combat with his one free hand. With clean hits Naruto took the man down. Before Naruto could react toward the next henchman that was coming his way, Gaara had stepped up beside him and covered for him. Naruto muttered a thanks as he picked up his gun and reloaded it. A sudden silence enveloped the courtyard. The first wave of Orochimaru's henchman were dealt with. He inwardly sighed and asked Gaara for a quick count.

Gaara, with expert eyes, read the scene. "Two agents dead, three injured, no civilians harmed."

With the pressure on the back of his neck withdrawn, Sasuke was able to sit up. He stared at Naruto with unreadable eyes and then suddenly turned away.

With his heart on the verge of breaking into pieces, Naruto opened his mouth but he couldn't force a sound out.

-End of Chapter Eleven!-


	13. Chapter 12

TTP,TTK

Chapter Twelve

…

Naruto felt like he was suffocating. No air coming or going through his lungs. With bright, blue-eyes he watched as Sasuke gingerly stood up. The courtyard still silent, only the sound of distant conversation going on in the background. The raven, with grace, brushed himself off. The dirt and the random grass blades, that had attached themselves onto his pants, fell quietly to the ground.

Again Naruto attempted to say something. Damn it, anything at all, but nothing was spoken. From his position on the ground, one knee still dug in the dirt in his kneeling form, Naruto searched for Sasuke's eyes. Sasuke wouldn't meet them.

Coming from the side, footsteps were evident and Naruto reluctantly turned his head away from Sasuke and watched as Rock Lee approached them. The man smiled showing a line of straight, pearly-white teeth. His natural wide eyes shining with happiness and his large (very large) eyebrows high on his forehead somewhat obstructed by his short bowl-style haircut. Yeah, Rock Lee was quite a sight. Not to mention him being clad in only green spandex.

Lee gave a thumbs up, an action that Naruto would of normally returned. But as it is, the blonds insides were still scorched from Sasuke's lack of reaction. The Uchiha was still standing there, his dark eyes viewing nothing in particular, hands hanging limply at his sides.

"Mission Accomplished!" Lee stated with pride. He placed his hands on his hips, tossing his head back to bask in the sunlight above. "Such a wonderful day to exert our youthfulness!"

Gaara, who was still beside Naruto, the four of them forming a diamond shape, said nothing. The redhead's arms were folded across his chest. Naruto absently noted that Gaara wasn't tensed and that his gun was put away, certainly an improvement from past encounters with Lee.

Naruto gave the energetic agent a weak smile and replied as happily as he could. Lee didn't seem to notice Naruto's distress, proceeding to greet Gaara as well. The redhead returned the greeting with a nod of his head. And with one last broad smile Lee left to handle other business.

With Lee gone, just as quickly as he had came, the atmosphere became awkward once again. Unlike Lee, Gaara was very in tune with Naruto's emotions, the redhead frowned and he opened his mouth to say something that he wished he didn't have to say. Nevertheless he had promised Itachi that he would deliver the information. "Naruto," he said, gathering his friend's attention.

The blond raised to his feet and offered Gaara a glance. "What?"

The redheaded assassin inwardly cringed at Naruto's tone. His sea-green eyes momentarily landed on Sasuke who miraculously hasn't left yet. He debated if it was a good idea to talk to Naruto right in front of Sasuke, but ultimately decided that it was for the best… Even if Naruto might hate him for it afterwards.

"There's something I have to tell you." Gaara made it clear that he needed Naruto's undivided attention. Their eyes locked and Gaara spoke with careful indifference. "The reason Orochimaru reportedly 'stopped' was because Itachi went to him himself."

Silence followed. Seconds passing as Naruto soaked in the statement and where Sasuke's dull eyes sparked. "WHAT!" Naruto blurted. He took a step toward Gaara and his mouth opened to say more. A breathless laughter however caught both their attention and they watched as Sasuke's shoulders trembled.

The quiet chuckles turned into an all out hysterical laughter. Sasuke was in danger of doubling over. His hands gripping his sides, showing no signs of stopping. All the while, both Naruto and Gaara, were staring, both deeming it best to let Sasuke settle by himself. Finally, between heavy breaths of chocked laughter that closely resembled sobs, Sasuke spoke. "Ita…Itachi." More chocked sounds. "You,…you work for Itachi?"

Naruto once again couldn't say anything. Instead of feeling suffocated, it now felt like he was drowning. His lungs filling up with water, each gulp for breath being futile.

"You work for my murdering bother." Sasuke continued. Realization hitting him hard.

Naruto winced. To Sasuke the murder of his parents by the hands of Itachi was nothing but malicious. Sasuke had no clue, not a hint, of what was truly behind Itachi's actions. He didn't know that Itachi was horribly manipulated. Both the Uchiha brothers were victims of the evil doings of Orochimaru. How could Naruto convince Sasuke of this when Sasuke lived with his one belief for more than half his life?

"I should of known. I thought…no I _hoped_ that you weren't one of them."

Naruto, with his head swimming to say and ask numerous things, reminded himself to stay clam. He couldn't give Sasuke an explanation. Sasuke wouldn't believe him. Sasuke wouldn't understand. Not right now. It was plain by the look on his face. "One of them?" Naruto asked instead.

Sasuke faced Naruto, his body language seeming to scream. "I'm not an idiot, Naruto. I'm not a fucking naïve child to not realize what I've been surrounded by." Sasuke's hands were fisted, his mouth opening and spitting out the words as though it were acid. "Itachi's spies."

Sasuke had spoken with so much anger and hatred that Naruto felt physically afflicted. So Sasuke knew all along that he was being watched? Itachi always had an agent or two nearby. Sasuke didn't go a day without being watched after all. But that supervision, which was supposed to be caring, supportive, and nurturing turned out to be interpreted as ill intent.

To Sasuke- he was surrounded by his older brothers' spies. And Naruto…Naruto was now revealed to be one of them. "You fucking asshole…" The words were uttered in a whisper. Naruto took a step toward Sasuke. The raven reacted badly. A punch to the jaw sent Naruto flying back. He didn't have time to recover when another punch, this time on the nose, struck him.

On the third hit, his reach blind but accurate, Naruto managed to grab and hold onto Sasuke's wrist. "You fucking liar!" Sasuke snarled. "Let me go! Don't you fucking touch me!"

"Stop!" The raven thrashed harshly against Naruto. "Clam down, Sasuke! You don't understand!"

With flashing eyes, Sasuke continued his struggle. He didn't want to be anywhere near Naruto. He didn't want to hear his false explanations. His lies.

"Itachi is not your enemy!"

"Shut up!" Sasuke roared. "You have no idea what my brother did! I'm going to kill him…and then I'm going to kill you…" The blonds' grip on him faded and Sasuke slowly looked up into Naruto's eyes for the first time since the shooting.

Sasuke was so sure. So very, very, fucking positive that Itachi was his enemy. Itachi had killed their parents. Right in front of him. Itachi had told him to become stronger using hate. But as he stared into those sapphire eyes. Sasuke wasn't so sure of anything anymore. His world was shaken and turned upside down.

"Itachi is not your enemy." Naruto repeated. His tone was direct and strong. The look in his eyes told Sasuke that he wasn't lying. "And neither am I."

The youngest Uchiha wanted to interrupt. He wanted to cover his ears…but Naruto's gaze held him steady. He had never seen Naruto this disciplined before. The Naruto he knew was carefree, grins for all. This Naruto was intense and it froze Sasuke in place. Made him want to, no, _need to _listen to whatever he had to say.

"Too much has happened. Many things that you don't understand…but know this…Itachi is a good man. He never meant to hurt you."

Sasuke shook his head. The movement so slow that Naruto had barely registered it himself.

"I know you're confused. Hell, I would be too! But please believe me." Naruto continued on. "I am not Itachi's spy… I am your bodyguard."

Sasuke blinked. His trance being broken by that word. "Bodyguard?"

"You're in danger. This…This _damn_ bastard-of-a-snake is after you." Naruto said, anger seeping into his tone. "Don't you get it, Sasuke?" The blond placed a hand on the raven's shoulder, Sasuke's entire body tensed but he didn't pull away, and for that Naruto was grateful. "Itachi went to him himself to save you." More anger slipped into Naruto's voice. "That arrogant asshole. We…we had a promise to face Orochimaru together…" Naruto turned away from Sasuke and faced Gaara who was being a silent witness. "Where is Itachi?" The blond demanded. He'd be damned if he came all this way only to lose Itachi in the end. He needed to be there. Naruto needed to face Orochimaru.

Gaara answered in an even tone. "Two miles west from here. You can't miss it."

Naruto looked at Sasuke then back to Gaara. "I'll leave Sasuke in your hands, Gaara. Be fucking careful." He hated to leave Sasuke. Especially when the raven looked so goddamn lost and betrayed. Naruto's resolve was firm though. Sasuke was safe, for the moment anyway, but Naruto needed to take advantage of that moment. He needed to join Itachi and cut off the snake's head. Once the head was gone the rest of the body will follow… and Naruto and Sasuke, along with Itachi, will sort this mess out. The sooner the better, right?

"Wait-" Sasuke began but Naruto cut him off by sealing his lips with his own. The kiss broke as fast as it started. With their faces still close together Naruto whispered truthful words as he locked onto Sasuke's gaze.

"I love you. I didn't lie about that."

Before Sasuke could react, even process what has even happened, Naruto was gone. Heading west on foot. Anger, frustration, and confusion were reaching high levels. Sasuke felt as though he would burst. Naruto always seemed to walk away from him. Always escaping when Sasuke didn't understand. It didn't help that Naruto was already out of his sight. He turned to the redhead, Gaara, and growled out a command. "You are going to tell me everything! I need to know what just happened!"

Gaara, with impassive eyes, simply nodded his head in agreement. "I will tell you everything. But for now," sounds of sirens filled the air and police cars came into view, "we should go. Dealing with the local police is bothersome and we need to talk somewhere quietly." Gaara turned and started walking away, confidant that Sasuke would follow. After a few seconds Gaara heard the soft echo of footsteps behind him.

…

Itachi felt hot. The humid air induced heavy breathing and he could feel sweat trickle down his forehead. The darkness of the room limited his vision to the small outline of light coming from a doorway that was just a few feet away.

It was silent, almost overwhelmingly so. With the movement of his right-hand the silence was broken by the rattling of chains. The cold metal scrapped across the skin of his wrists. His ankles were receiving the same treatment as he attempted to stand up. Itachi's long hair was lose and the sweat-covered locks of raven hair stuck to the back of his neck uncomfortably.

_Where am I, _he asked confused. The memory was foggy, the throbbing ache on the back of his head was no doubt the reason. With blinking eyes, trying to get the salty affect of sweat that had entered gone, he remembered.

He had left on his own to intercept Orochimaru. Reports had reported him in the city. He was close to Sasuke. Too close. Closer then he had ever been before and Itachi wouldn't stand by and simply allow that. With hopes of saving Sasuke, or at least buying Naruto some time to protect him, Itachi had walked right onto Orochimaru's doorstep.

Well, it was actually one of his many doorsteps. Orochimaru had a certain way of traveling. In every major location, in every major city and country, Orochimaru made certain that he had a residence. And they always looked the same. A mansion on a slope. The slope would always lead down to an underground tunnel. A type of escape route that Orochimaru was no stranger of using. And he wouldn't just have one residence. He would have as many as half a dozen. And the tunnels that ran underneath them were complex mazes that should not even be attempted to be navigated without a map at hand.

Itachi had arrived at the nearest one, certain that even if Orochimaru wasn't present he would be taken to Orochimaru either way. Not long, not even coming close as to being an arms-length away from the front gate, Itachi had already been surrounded. Itachi had then proceeded to give his request to have an audience with Orochimaru and his request was granted.

Well, that is if you accept the response of a baseball bat hitting the base of your skull a granted request. Itachi blacked out and was no doubt dragged away. He could have been taken anywhere by now. How much time has gone by?

The rattling of chains echoed through the small, dark room, Itachi testing the metal confinements and gauging the probabilities of escape. It did not look good. His head ached and he was positive that if he was able to maneuver his hand, he would feel the warm liquid of blood on the backend of his skull.

Even though his current situation did not look good, Itachi remained calm. _Naruto knows what to do, _Itachi thought. And he was positive of that. All thoughts were interrupted when the door before him opened and a blinding light spewed into the dark room.

The silhouette of a man stood at the doorway for a moment and then proceeded inside. Itachi's eyes finally adjusted to the new lighting as a cold hand reached out and gripped his chin, titling his face up. His coal-colored eyes locking with the serpent-like-yellow eyes of Orochimaru.

"So you finally came back to me?" Orochimaru's voice was icy and it made the hairs on Itachi's arms raise. "I've been waiting for you, Itachi."

…

"Would you like some cookies?"

The question hung in the air. Sasuke could only blink as he stared at the nonchalant countenance of Gaara. "What?" He asked testily.

"Would you like some-"

"I know what you said!" Sasuke nearly ripped his own jacket off and he tossed it onto the nearby couch as he stepped away from the apartment entrance and advanced to the kitchen doorway where Gaara stood. "No, I would not like some goddamn cookies!"

Gaara shrugged and grabbed a small bag off the counter. And then, as though he had not a care in the world, Gaara sat down on one of the wooden chairs, surrounding the center round table, he leaned back and popped a cookie into his mouth. "As you wish." he said.

After a moment, Sasuke found sat down on the seat opposite of Gaara and glared. "Tell me about Itachi!" He demanded.

Gaara chewed on his cookie and swallowed. A frown made it's way onto his face. "Naruto doesn't have any milk."

Sasuke blinked again. He didn't understand Gaara's sudden statement. "What?"

"Naruto doesn't have any-"

"I know what you said!" Sasuke ran a hand through his hair to stop the sudden impulse of just jumping over the table and strangling Gaara with his bare hands. "What the fuck does that have to do with anything!"

Gaara gave a one-shoulder shrug. "This is Naruto's apartment." The redhead said. He folded the small bag of cookies and placed them to the side. "Cookies are best with milk but Naruto never seems to have any in supply."

"This is Naruto's apartment?" Sasuke muttered. His throat felt tight. Naruto's apartment was never that far from his own. So Naruto was always close to him? Always near? Sasuke glanced around. His eyes taking in the environment that he had somehow missed when he entered.

The kitchen was a mess. It looked like some kind of animal rampaged through the place. A raccoon? No, something bigger…A bear, a panda?

Gaara followed Sasuke's glance and coughed into his hand. "Oh, the kitchen is my doing."

"…" Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"I was looking for food."

Sasuke sighed. Just what kind of conversation is this? He was starting to get fed up and if it continued he would really jump over the table and strangle the redhead. "Tell. Me. About. Itachi." Sasuke slowly said, reigning in his temper. Naruto's words still rang inside his mind. '_Itachi is not your enemy' _.Over and over again. He had to find out what Naruto meant by that.

Gaara leaned forward, his hands folded on the table, looking more serious, a demeanor the Sasuke was instantly grateful for. "Itachi is an assassin." Gaara started. His countenance didn't change much but by the tone of his voice Sasuke concluded that he could trust Gaara. "Not just any assassin. One of the best." Gaara appeared thoughtful for a second. "Sometimes I think that…. perhaps he's better than Naruto and me combined."

"Naruto…and you are assassins?" Sasuke blurted. "Naruto said he was a bodyguard."

Gaara stared directly into Sasuke's eyes. "This would go faster and much more smoothly if you didn't speak, Uchiha."

Sasuke bristled at that, but stayed silent. It was slightly unnerving that Gaara could go from being thoughtful to stringent so quickly.

Gaara then continued. His tone becoming sincere and committed as though he were telling a story. Throughout it all, Sasuke sat in his seat, numb. Not knowing how to feel or react to all that Gaara was revealing.

He learned that Orochimaru was previously one of Itachi's superiors. When KAGE changed leaders, Orochimaru was furious when he was not accepted for the role. In an act of rebellion; In an oath to start his own company, Orochimaru murdered the Head of KAGE, Sarutobi, and vanished.

Not long after Orochimaru's leave of KAGE did the rumors start. Gatherings of well-known criminals and psychopaths were commencing. Agents from KAGE as well as other Companies, allies and rivals alike, were disappearing or later revealed to be dead.

"Orochimaru has a way of thinking." Gaara had said. "His followers mostly consist of the volatile, simple-minded criminals, psychopaths with a thirst for blood, or the unfeeling murderers. These types of people are easy to control. Easy to gain their loyalty. Orochimaru saw that as the perfect company."

At this point in time Sasuke decided to speak up and ask a question. "What are the Companies?"

Gaara allowed the interruption and explained the Underground Companies. The companies were mainly assassin groups. Used for political means in different countries. They literally shifted the power of government to whatever side paid the most. Smaller companies were debt collectors and the sort. Some are even drug peddlers. All-in-all they kept the world in check, in balance. The chaos always has some sort of orderliness and the companies had mastered that.

Sasuke nodded his head in understanding. This wasn't some kind of TV show or fantasy. This was real life. The buried truth laying bare in front of him and all he could do was accept it. "What happened next?" Sasuke asked.

"Orochimaru wanted Itachi." Gaara statement stung Sasuke. A thorn digging into his chest.

"What did Orochimaru do?"

"In order to make a perfect agent Orochimaru stripped them of all emotion, all attachments, all bonds…and conscience." As Gaara spoke, nausea and bile threatened to raise in Sasuke's throat. His heart aching in his chest. "What mattered most to Itachi was family."

"Ita-Itachi…he…" A silence stretched between them as Sasuke realized Gaara's words. His mind spinning fervently, putting all the pieces together. "Itachi killed my parents."

Gaara closed his eyes. "Yes. But he couldn't kill you."

"He couldn't kill me?"

"That's what shattered Orochimaru spell over him. He couldn't kill the little brother he loved so much. He resisted becoming the emotionless drone Orochimaru wanted and he escaped."

"…And Orochimaru is still after him." Sasuke said. Naruto's words were also spinning in his head. They were beginning to make sense. His upside down world now had some semblance.

"The only way to Itachi is you, youngest Uchiha." Gaara's eyebrow slightly raised in emphasis. "Have you any idea how many times you were in danger? How much Itachi has protected you?"

So all those eyes he always felt on him weren't Itachi's spies? They were always bodyguards, agents? "Naruto?" Sasuke asked. After finding everything out about Itachi, he wanted to know more about Naruto.

Gaara suddenly seemed bored, or maybe tired. His right hand reached out for the small bag of cookies. "He told you didn't he?" Gaara questioned. "When Itachi realized that Orochimaru was getting closer he sent Naruto to watch over you."

'_Itachi is a good man' _Naruto words rang through his head once more. "Are Naruto and Itachi close?" Sasuke asked. Itachi had sent Naruto personally. That must of meant something.

Gaara looked up from nibbling on his cookie. "Itachi saved Naruto's life."

"What happened?"

Gaara continued to nibble on his cookie. "That," he began, a sense of sorrow in his voice. "You should ask Naruto."

After a moment of silence Sasuke stood up from his chair. The wooden legs scrapping across the kitchen titles gathering Gaara's attention.

"Where are you going?" He asked Sasuke when he saw the ravens' resolute face.

Sasuke stepped out of the kitchen and retrieved his coat that was sprawled out on the couch in the living room. "I'm going after Naruto…and my brother."

-End of Chapter 12-


	14. Chapter 13

TTP,TTK

CHAPTER 13

…

-Flashback -

(Takes place between Chapter Five and Six. Naruto had visited the KAGE Headquarters and the flashback begins after his meeting with Tsunade.)

With silent rage and flawless movements, Naruto reloaded his gun. Light reflected off the metallic handheld as the blond-haired person aimed and fired. The bullet flew through the air and cut dead-center into a piece of paper more than a hundred feet away.

Naruto lowered his gun, setting it onto the small waist-high table before him; he then reached up and pushed a button. The room suddenly echoed, gears that were strapped to rope rotated and Naruto patiently waited as the piece of paper, that he was shooting at, was being brought to him. The gears stopped, the room returning to silence, as Naruto reached out his hand and plucked the piece of paper off the line.

Naruto stared seemingly impassively at the paper. On it was a picture of Orochimaru. Eight bullet holes littered and destroyed the pale-face. Usually the exercise of shooting the image of Orochimaru would calm Naruto. It would help him release some anger. But this time,… Naruto felt nothing. He crumbled the paper in his hand, constructing it into a tight sphere, and tossed it over his shoulder and straight into the trashcan.

For a moment- Naruto stood there motionless. His blue eyes staring at nothing particular while his arms hung numbly at his sides. He didn't even hear the footsteps that approached him, didn't sense the others' presence until a hand descended upon his head ruffling his blond locks.

Even though it was unexpected, Naruto didn't jump up in surprise, he simply accepted the action. He slightly turned his head and came face to face with Itachi.

"Itachi," Naruto said, his voice soft but it still seemed to resound off the walls of the underground shooting range.

"Kyuubi," Itachi replied as he let his hand fall from Naruto's bright locks in order to flick him on the top of his nose. "I thought you learned to wear your goggles and earplugs while in the shooting range."

Naruto scrunched his nose and unconsciously pouted. "I hate those goggles."

Itachi only smirked and he pointedly looked over Naruto's shoulder and onto the small table that had a stack of images of Orochimaru upon it. "Doing the usual?" Itachi asked.

The blond shrugged. "It's not helping," he said. Naruto then narrowed his blue-eyes and his voice became hard. "Why didn't you tell me it was Orochimaru?"

"Tsunade told you."

"Damn it, Itachi! I asked why _you_ didn't tell me!" Naruto drew in a large breath. He was mad. In the beginning Itachi didn't tell him shit about his mission. He didn't tell him why he had to be Sasuke's bodyguard. And now, _now_ he finds out it was about Orochimaru. Even though Naruto had a feeling it was about the snake he would have liked it to be made known earlier. Itachi had kept him in the dark and he wanted to know why.

Before Naruto could continue to voice his displeasure, Itachi interrupted. "I wanted you to meet Sasuke with a clear head." The way the words fell from Itachi's mouth confused Naruto. The anger that Naruto was feeling was turning into curiosity.

"What do you mean?" The blond asked, the curiosity evident in his voice.

Itachi, who was taller than Naruto despite the blonds' impressive height, stepped up beside him. He reached out and grabbed one of the papers, which had the image of Orochimaru on it, and hooked it onto the line. The button was pressed and the gears turned as the article moved away from them. "If I had told you about Orochimaru before you met Sasuke,… you wouldn't have gotten to know him. You probably wouldn't have introduced yourself." Itachi gave Naruto a sideways glance as he seized the gun off the table and loaded a fresh clip. He smirked. "You are surprisingly professional when it comes to cases concerning Orochimaru." Itachi then aimed the gun. Firing a bullet at the piece of paper that was more than two hundred feet away.

Without having to call the paper back Naruto could tell that there was a bullet hole directly between Orochimaru's eyes. Itachi set the gun back down onto the table and turned to fully face Naruto.

Their eyes locked, "Have you got to know him?" Itachi asked.

Naruto knew it was an innocent enough question but he couldn't keep a blush from creeping onto his face. Earlier that day Naruto had almost _kissed _Sasuke. It was after the soccer game and Sasuke had been shirtless, rinsing himself off with a water spray. Did Itachi know that? Was he testing him? Maybe teasing him in his own weird way? No, Itachi shouldn't know. If he did- Naruto had no doubt that Itachi would kill him. Well,… not kill him, maybe just shoot him. And since the gun was back on the table and not pointed at him- Naruto was sure he was in the clear….Maybe. "Yeah," Naruto finally replied.

Itachi raised an eyebrow in a way to convey that he wanted a more elaborate answer.

"I mean," Naruto couldn't help but fidget under his superiors' gaze. It was times like this that made Naruto appear younger and much more chaste then how he really was. Naruto was tall, broad shouldered, with a dominating but charismatic atmosphere and posture. He was an agent who would put a bullet in someone's head without question, a Solider. But right now, and when times were simple and carefree, he was a teenager at heart. Brash, shy, and above all- unpredictable. "He's cool, you know,…" The blond paused wanting to be careful with his words. Itachi was clearly asking about his opinion on Sasuke. It was very important to him. "He's a lot like you. But then he's not…There's something different about him…Something that is so…" Naruto didn't realize he was smiling and Itachi chose that moment to interrupt.

"I knew you would like him." The raven said simply but meaningfully.

"Huh?"

Itachi just flicked Naruto on the nose once more, a small smile curving his lips as he did so. "I've been watching Sasuke his whole life and I've been your Senior for almost a decade. I knew you two would be friends… I'm glad I was right."

The blond paused, running the statement over and over in his head until a grin broke out on his face. They stood there, Itachi still smiling as Naruto grinned happily. "You have a great little brother, Itachi."

-End of Flashback-

'_You have a great little brother, Itachi.' _The words echoed in Itachi's mind. The words seemingly bouncing in his skull and getting jumbled and scrambled until they became illegible and useless. His eyesight was fuzzy but ultimately useless since the room was almost entirely pitch black. A drop of sweat made its way down his face, over his chin, and continuing down his collarbone. His hands were awkward and strained while his legs were numb and ineffective. Everything felt so heavy and…awful.

Itachi breathed through his nose and succeeded in concealing a shudder when a hand descended onto his shoulder. "Itachi," a voice said. It sounded so vile,…so evil. "You are so beautiful,…why did you leave me,…disobey me?"

Itachi did not answer, he did not want to answer, and even if he did, he wasn't sure if he had the strength to. The logical part of Itachi's mind reminded him that no more than two hours have passed. No more than two hours of being in Orochimaru's presence. But, a larger part of his mind, the damaged and exhausted part, made Itachi feel as though an eternity had passed and that another one was right around the corner.

Itachi's long hair was brushed aside by long, cold fingers. The fingers that were smooth and seemingly calm turned sharp and upsetting. They dug into Itachi's flesh and ruthlessly tore whatever they found. Itachi didn't make a sound as the pain radiated and warm blood rained down his body. He merely focused on his breathing while Orochimaru's spoke again.

"You displease me, Itachi." The dull, yellow eyes seemed to sparkle in the darkness. "I am very angry with you,… but I am willing to forgive you." Orochimaru leaned in closer, his impossibly long tongue licking up the length of Itachi's neck. Dirt, sweat, and blood could be tasted and Orochimaru thought it was the most delicious thing in the world.

Itachi gave no sign of acknowledgment, his eyes closed and body rigid as though he were meditating.

Orochimaru didn't mind Itachi's lack of reaction. It was actually better. Though he did miss the past. Back then, Itachi would struggle against his chains, curse and cuss, those dark eyes shining with anger and hate.

But Itachi being docile did have it's advantages. Orochimaru licked at one of Itachi's wounds. The blood tasting oh so much more sweeter then it did back then. "So beautiful…" The snake repeated. "Why did you run away from me? Why did you leave me even when I promised to protect you."

Something sharp and chilly descended onto Itachi's stomach; it pierced his skin, slowly.

"Your family would have failed you and I tried to protect you from that." Orochimaru's voice was beginning to raise and grow hysterical. "I offered you freedom. You didn't have to think- I would of thought for you. You didn't have to feel! I would of felt for you! I offered to help you, take care of you, and you spitted in my face like some cheap whore!"

What Itachi now realized was a knife- sunk deeply into his body. Orochimaru twisted the blade and Itachi felt blood bubble up and spill from his mouth. As Itachi's mind and body restrained from going into shock- he heard Orochimaru whisper in his ear. "I am willing to forgive you."

…

Naruto felt light on his feet, his steps quick as he covered ground in record time. With less than a mile to go, in order to arrive at one of Orochimaru's hideouts, an enemy appeared. Naruto came to a stop on the side of the road, his chest rising and falling rapidly, a result from sprinting nearly two miles. His blue eyes stared straight ahead, frustrated and oh so very angry. "Kabuto," Naruto snarled.

The man named Kabuto chuckled. The sound coming out low and throaty, he pushed the glasses that were settled on his nose higher and he lifted his head in a tauntingly way toward Naruto. " I was beginning to wonder when you'll show up." Kabuto goaded.

Naruto, his breathing returning to normal, responded with sarcasm. "Sorry to keep you waiting but as it is I'm in a bad,…a very, very bad fucking mood. Stand down and I won't kill you."

Kabuto's short, grayish-silver hair swayed with the wind as he once again pushed the round glasses on his nose higher. "Oh, Naruto," Kabuto began. "I can't let you proceed." He took a step toward the blond. "I've been waiting all this time…it's rude otherwise."

Naruto sighed, his arms folding across his chest as he said, "So how do we do this?"

Kabuto chuckled again. A long hand slowly reaching down to the holster that was visible around his waist. Kabuto gave Naruto a smile as he removed it and carelessly tossed it to the floor. The gun colliding with the pavement noisily and bouncing only once before it settled. "No guns," he simply said.

Naruto gave a nod of agreement. A smile breaking out on his own face as he tossed his small 9mm gun to the floor. He had left his trusty revolver at the apartment and he didn't really like to handle a small handgun. It was lucky for him that his encounter with Kabuto wouldn't be a gun face-off.

The blond then made a show of patting himself down, Kabuto did the same. Both of them signaling that no more guns were present. Naruto then grinned as he lifted his fists up and took up a stance. Kabuto didn't move, didn't even pull a stance and Naruto frowned. Kabuto gave a beckoning gesture and taunted. "What are you waiting for?"

Naruto charged.

-End of Chapter 13-


	15. Chapter 14

Time to Protect, Time to Kill

Chapter 14

…

-FLASHBACK-

Uchiha Mikoto hummed quietly to herself. Her hands covered in soap and brushing expertly over plates under a steady stream of running water. The small window above the sink was held open by a wedge, the morning sun and fresh air entering pleasantly and combing her skin. The smile on her face grew just a tad larger when the domestic sounds behind her flowed into her ears.

"Sasuke, eat your vegetables," came the deep voice of Uchiha Fugaku. The rustling of a newspaper became known as well as the small voice of a ten-year-old boy.

"I did, I ate my tomatoes."

"Tomato is a fruit, Sasuke. Eat your carrots."

"I hate carrots."

"_Dislike_ is the proper term. We don't say 'hate' in this house.

Sasuke frowned, his raven hair framing his pale face that was so much like his mother's. The father had much more rougher features, a stubble on his chin, and his face and shoulders somewhat squared. The ebony hair and dark eyes were the only resemblance between father and son. "Then I _dislike carrots." Sasuke's tone was no longer that of a ten-year-old and it made Fugaku raise an eyebrow at his son's forthright response. _

_Mikoto, who was glad her back was to them, couldn't conceal her grin as she dried her hands on a wash cloth. "Sasuke, honey," Mikoto called before Fugaku could say anything, "Why don't you go outside and play." Sasuke jumped down from his chair in full compliance. "Remember not to bother your brother when he's training." Mikoto said before her son ran out the door. _

"_Yes, Mother," and then he was gone. _

_Fugaku, who still sat at the breakfast table, gave a shake of his head and folded his newspaper onto the table. "Itachi was never as defiant. Where did he get that from?"_

_His wife chuckled. "Dear, he got that from you."_

_Fugaku bristled, "I think not."_

_Mikoto chuckled again, a hand lifting up and pulling back a strand of her long dark hair. "He may have gotten his looks from me- but that personality is all yours, Dear." She pulled a hair tie out of her pocket and tied her hair back when another rouge strand fell upon her eyes. "Still…" She mused aloud as she cast a glace outside and caught sight of little Sasuke running up to his older brother, Itachi, who was training. "I don't like that Sasuke watches Itachi train. Do you know what he asked me the other day?"_

_She took a seat across from her husband and laid her hands flat on the table. "What did he ask you?" drawled Fugaku._

_Mikoto, ignoring his tone of voice, answered. "He asked me why he didn't train like Itachi."_

"_Oh? And what did you tell him?" replied Fugaku ._

"_I told him that his future is different than that of his brother's! Sasuke is not going to be an agent! We agreed on that when he was born, Fugaku."_

_Fugaku nodded his head, leaning back on his seat with a sigh escaping his mouth. "I know, dear. Sasuke is to focus on his studies." _

"_That's right!" she announced. She cast another glance outside. "I told Itachi as much. When he had agreed to be an agent he said that he would look after his little brother. I don't think I can handle it if both my boys were agents."_

_Fugaku didn't respond but he did glimpse out the window, his eyes following the movement of his only two sons. _

…

_Itachi beckoned his little brother closer, Sasuke, with a smile on his face, happily approached. When he got close enough Itachi poked him in the middle of his forehead and he watched as Sasuke scowled and rub at the quickly forming red spot. _

"_You always do that," Sasuke said, his scowl turning into a pout. _

_Itachi gave a smile-like smirk. "What are you doing out here, little brother?" Itachi questioned. _

"_I came to see if you wanted to play." Sasuke chirped. _

"_Oh you did, did you?" _

_Sasuke began to nod but the sight of Itachi's training equipment, that was laying on the grass nearby, caught his sight. "Are you still training? Why do you train so much?"_

_A sixteen-year-old Itachi turned his eyes to where his training equipment sat. "That's easy," he said as he meet Sasuke's eyes again, "I train to become big and strong in order to protect you." _

"_Protect me?"_

"_Of course. You are my little brother." It was said matter-of-factly but it was coated with affection and Sasuke smiled. Itachi proceeding to poke him in the forehead once more. _

_-END OF FLASHBACK-_

_Sasuke stood abruptly, the wooden chair, that he was previously sitting on, falling to the tiled floor as he made his way out of the kitchen and toward the living area. Sasuke was ready to take some action. He was ready to face his past and confront his brother. He knew, deep down, that this encounter was going to happen sooner or later. Itachi was out there and now that Sasuke knew the truth and discovered that Itachi needed help- Sasuke wasn't going to hesitate. Perhaps, spending all that time with Naruto had changed him. Sasuke found himself accepting the situation much more quickly than he thought he would. But when it came to all his childhood memories, the flashbacks of a perfect family and a caring older brother, discovering that they weren't all lies- Sasuke was more relieved than anything. _

_Pulling on his jacket, Sasuke made for the front door but Gaara stopped him. The redhead stepped in front of him, his hand stretched out to keep Sasuke in place. "What is it?" Sasuke snapped._

_Gaara, with a shift in his expression, suddenly pulled out a blade. He glanced at Sasuke, the look in his eyes telling the raven to remain quiet and still. And then in one fluid move- Gaara threw the door open and pounced on whoever was on the other side. _

_Sasuke stayed routed in his spot as he heard signs of struggling and several muffled sounds. The sounds all together stopped, quite quickly, and Sasuke raised an eyebrow when he heard the word 'troublesome' being repeated over and over again. _

"_I thought you were an enemy." That was Gaara's voice. _

"_Well, as you could see, I'm not….Aren't you going to apologize?" Said an unknown voice that sounded both irritated and bored. _

"_No," Gaara replied candidly. _

"_Troublesome."_

"_Quite a display of youthfulness!" Exclaimed another unidentified voice. Sasuke, no longer deeming it necessary to stay put, walked to the doorway to see what was going on for himself. There, in the open hallway, three people formed a triangle as they stared at each other, not noticing, or downright ignoring, Sasuke's presence at the door. "I am glad you have so much energy!" Continued the unidentified voice that Sasuke was now able to place a face on. He vaguely remembered seeing the green-spandex-wearing-man at the University when the shooting went down. 'Lee' was his name if Sasuke remembered correctly._

_Lee's circular eyes grew more wide and his short, bowl-styled haircut bounced with his enthusiasm as he stared at Gaara. The redhead was noticeably grimacing. His sea-green eyes narrowed in distaste and discomfort. "I do not feel comfortable conversing with you without Naruto around." Gaara said quickly in his all-too-direct-way. _

_Lee only appeared to blink, seeming to not understand the redhead's statement as the third person in the group finally decided to speak. "Where is Naruto?" said the man, his brunette hair tied back in a pineapple-style-sort-of-way, and the silver earrings in his ears shining in the setting sun. _

_Gaara, turning his on-guard gaze away from what he considered an horrific-green-Smurf, answered the question. "He went after Itachi, Shikamaru."_

_The man called Shikamaru loudly sighed. "That's just like Naruto isn't it."_

_It wasn't a question but Lee answered it excitedly nonetheless. "Naruto is an excellent agent and he wouldn't do anything that he thought was useless!" _

_Gaara turned to Lee somewhat surprised. "I agree."_

_Lee smiled brilliantly and Gaara seemed to recoil from the sight. Shikamaru massaged the bridge of his nose and spoke under his breath. "Naruto told me about you two but I thought he was joking." Gaara and Lee faced him. Lee was clearly confused but Gaara only displayed a blank face. Shikamaru shook his head. "Anyway, right now, it's best if we find Naruto."_

_Sasuke spoke up then, stepping down from the doorway and alerting everyone to his presence. "Do you know where to find him?" The raven demanded. _

_Shikamaru's dark, brown eyes locked with Sasuke's ebony ones. The brunette raised an eyebrow and gave an amused smile. "You must be Uchiha Sasuke. Naruto wasn't joking about you either it seems."_

_Sasuke choose not to comment, "Do you know where to find him or not?" he asked firmly._

_Shikamaru rolled his eyes in exasperation. "No need to get so testy. Why is everyone so difficult recently? I can't seem to go anywhere without running into a hothead, raging-" Shikamaru halted here, cutting himself off once he realized that he was rambling. He looked into Sasuke's enraged eyes once again and pushed aside his own irritation in order to properly explain. "It's my job to keep agents in check- finding Naruto is just a click away." The brunette said as he looked down and riffled through his carrying bag, lifting a computer pad out and up. "All agents have a tracking device imbedded underneath their skin." Shikamaru sighed as he touched the on-screen keyboard, searching through files trying to find the correct one. "This is how I found Gaara."_

_The redhead gave a frown at this. "I am not part of your agency. I work for SAND." _

_Shikamaru didn't look up from his pad as he gave an offhanded reply. "When you decided to do missions for us- even if they were joint- you were still tagged."_

_Gaara's frown faded when he reflected that that was only fair enough. Naruto was tagged by SAND so why wouldn't KAGE tag him. _

"_Ah, here we go…" Shikamaru murmured._

_Sasuke instantly went toward Shikamaru, his hand reaching for the pad and pulling the screen so that it faced him. The screen showed what appeared to be streets and buildings, a blinking red dot was near the middle and it was in motion. "Naruto," Sasuke whispered. The raven then turned toward Shikamaru and asked, "can you find Itachi on this thing?"_

_Shikamaru, with a grunt, turned the pad back towards himself and pressed a few more keys. He frowned and then repeated the action, resulting in having to shake his head in the negative. "Seems like Itachi's tracking device has been disabled. The last known coordinate that was transmitted is actually near the area that Naruto is in now"_

_Sasuke stared at the screen for a few more moments and then began walking down the hallway and out of the apartment complex that Naruto resided in. "We should get moving," he said, his voice making it known that he could care less if they followed or not. _

"_Will you be assisting, Shikamaru?" Gaara asked, his sea-green eyes fixed on Sasuke's form who was already a distance away._

_The brunette released a sigh, placing his pad back into his carrying bag, readjusting the strap on his shoulder, as he gave a reply. "I got no choice. Orders from Tsunade herself. So troublesome." _

_Beside him Lee pumped a fist into the air. "You can count on my assistance ,Gaara!"_

_The redhead, even though he was a tad frightened of the sparkling-franticly-jumping-Smurf, kept his face blank and answered with a grateful nod. "Naruto would appreciate your help."_

"_What about you, Gaara?" Shikamaru queried, "did SAND appoint you to this case?"_

_The redhead shook his head. "No. I'm not here professionally."_

"_Then you're looking after Sasuke as a favor to Naruto?"_

_Gaara nodded. _

"_I see. Headquarters said there was going to be SAND representative on this case. If it's not you…" Shikamaru shrugged. "Even without the representative we have to get moving. Sasuke seems to have gotten well ahead of us." _

"_We need to catch up to him! Last one there must do 100 jumping jacks!" Lee's cries of youthfulness, as he liked to call it, drowned out as he speed off toward Sasuke. _

…

_His shoulder blades collided against a concrete wall and Naruto released a grunt of pain. His ribs already ached with repeated hits aimed at them and his knees were starting to buckle. However none of this fazed him and he narrowed his blue eyes as he watched his enemy, Kabuto, reach back in order to deliver another punch. _

_Naruto readily caught the fist in his hand, Kabuto's grey eyes blaring down at him, and he answered with a kick that sent Kabuto stumbling backward. For a moment they stared at each other. Their blood pounding in their ears and adrenaline running through their veins. _

_Kabuto broke the temporary silence when he released a chuckle. He moved a strand of grey-hair from his eyes and pushed the glasses that were perched on his nose higher. "Kyuubi," Kabuto said, deliberately using his codename, "I expected more from you."_

_Naruto, who still had his back to a wall, pushed off and stepped forward. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he growled. _

_Kabuto gave an offhanded shrug as though he was brushing Naruto off altogether._

_Naruto, reacting out of anger, flung himself forward and Kabuto used Naruto's own momentum to push him aside. _

"_See?" Kabuto questioned aloud. "This is what I mean. You still throw a fit like an angry child. You don't have what it takes to defeat me."_

_Naruto's posture straightened, his chin raised, and his fists clenched. "You don't know what I'm capable of." The blond-haired agent's tone was raw with truth. It was dark, threatening and it made Kabuto smile with delight. This was the side of the blond he was waiting for. He was waiting for 'Kyuubi', one of the top agents of KAGE, to surface._

"_You're right," Kabuto replied, "I don't know what you're capable of." Kabuto took a step toward Naruto. "Back then I was so sure you would die." The blond visually stiffened, "I was so sure that you wouldn't survive the cleansing. Orochimaru however kept insisting."_

"_You son-of-a-bitch…" Naruto murmured under his breath. However Kabuto continued to talk. _

"_It was quite a surprise- not only did you survive, but you didn't break."_

"_I'm going to fucking murder you…"_

"_For months and months we tortured you and left you in complete isolation."_

"_Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up."_

"_You may of escaped Orochimaru's clutches… but you haven't escaped the nightmare, have you?"_

"_Arrrggg," Naruto released a roar and Kabuto was unable to react when Naruto flew forward and closed fingers around his throat. "Fuck you! And fuck Orochimaru!" Naruto tightened his grip, his fingernails biting into the sensitive skin and threatening to spill blood. "You're right. And this nightmare won't end until I kill Orochimaru! But first," sapphire-eyes were set aflame and Kabuto gasped and choked for breath. "…First, I'm going to kill you." _

_Kabuto's eyes were quickly becoming bloodshot, lungs were burning from lack of oxygen, and warm blood was running down his neck and over Naruto's fingers. His hands tried to push the blond away -but with each attempt- Naruto increased the pressure. Kabuto was on the verge of panicking and unknown to Naruto's angry eyes Kabuto had dug into a hidden pocket and pulled out a thin blade. _

_The blade was stabbed into Naruto's left shoulder and Kabuto was released. The grey-haired man immediately went into a fit of coughs, choking, and gasping for air through his abused windpipe. _

_Naruto had recoiled back, his blue-eyes that were on fire before- were now cooling down and clearing. He was breathing heavily and he hissed as he attempted to remove the blade. Across form him, Kabuto slowly regained his composure. _

_The grayed-haired man rubbed his throat. The blood being smeared on his chin and running below his collarbone. "We…" he began to say. His voice hoarse and now unrecognizable. "We are….more alike….than you…think." _

_Naruto didn't reply. Instead he brought a hand up to his shoulder, gripped the handle of the blade and harshly pulled it out. Blood drenched his shirt but Naruto paid no mind, tossing the offending weapon to the ground, where it bounced on the pavement. _

_Kabuto smiled then. His grin wide and taunting._

_Naruto didn't like that grin at all, and he was about to say so but someone interrupted him. A female's voice rang suddenly, cutting through the hanging tension. "I'll take it from here, Kyuubi."_

_Naruto, as well as Kabuto, turned to view a female agent. Her hair was a dark shade of blond, pulled back into multiple-spiked-pony-tails. Her clothing stuck to her skin, showing her nice curves and she smiled a devilish smile that had her appearing mischievous and dangerous. _

"_Temari!" Naruto exclaimed. _

"_That's right, hot stuff. I'm here to help."_

_Naruto growled and turned away from her and faced Kabuto again. "I don't need help. I can take care of this son-of-a-bitch all by myself."_

"_I don't doubt that, hot stuff, " Temari responded, "But in your condition can you take down all those other guys on your own as well?"_

"_All those other guys?"_

_Kabuto rolled his head back as five men, who had rounded the corner, stepped up and stopped behind him. "I was beginning to think that Orochimaru left me to fend for myself." He said, rubbing his soar neck. _

"_I apologize for our tardiness," said one of the men, lowering his head slightly toward Kabuto in submission._

_Kabuto ignored the man, as well as Temari who was steadily making her way toward Naruto's side. "It seems like our time together has come to an end, Naruto." He said, giving one last sadistic grin and stepping backward to disappear behind his little army. _

_Naruto took a step forward not willing to let Kabuto out of his sight until Temari latched a hand onto his uninjured shoulder, holding him back. "You'll get your chance," she whispered. _

_Kabuto disappeared and Naruto and Temari were left to face the five men, who were armed with multiple weapons: bats, switchblades, lead pipes, and handguns. _

_Temari removed her gun from her holster and pulled back the hammer. "Naruto," she said, "get into cover." _

_-End of Chapter 14-_


	16. Chapter 15

TTP,TTK

Chapter 15

…

Sasuke's skin crawled at the sound of gunfire. His heart began to beat faster as he plunged further and further into the night. The street lights were flickering and were ultimately unreliable the more he advanced toward the edge of town. The streets were deserted and the area appeared to become industrial even though residences could still be seen a block away. Behind him he could hear the soft following footsteps of Gaara, Lee, and Shikamaru. It was comforting knowing that they were with him. Sasuke was beginning to feel unsteady on his feet at more gunshots that rippled through the night air. The crash of triggers being pulled wasn't something Sasuke witnessed everyday and it wasn't something he thought he could get readily used to.

"He should be right around the corner," Shikamaru announced. The raven quickly took the turn not fully knowing what he was walking into. More gunshots, yells, and shouts filled the crisp night air and the next thing Sasuke knew was that he was being pushed down- Forced to crouch behind a car that was parked on the side of the road- opposite of where the gunfire was originating. He lifted his head, glaring at Gaara but the redhead didn't look at him as he spoke.

"You should stay hidden, Uchiha." The redhead said, "These are Orochimaru's men and we can't afford to let them spot you."

Sasuke grunted. He didn't partially like being guarded, knowing that others were doing the fighting, but he supposed for now it was for the better. Sasuke was confident in his hand-to-hand combat but he was unarmed and there was nothing he could do from this distance. Also, by Gaara's tone of voice, the way that Lee and Shikamaru were taking up both sides of him using the car as cover, it was clear that he was out of his element, he was beginning to feel frustrated and useless.

The raven stayed obediently behind the car, his ebony eyes watching as Gaara took position behind a large trashcan. Sasuke's fingers twitched when he heard Naruto's voice. The blond was yelling out obscenities which were followed by gunshots. Sasuke peered over the hood of the car, in hopes on spotting the blond-haired agent, and to see exactly what was going on, but he was pulled down by the back of his collar by Shikamaru.

"So troublesome." Shikamaru muttered as Sasuke twisted out of his hold. "We can't afford to have your head being blown off." To drive the point home- a bullet flew over the car hitting the side of the building that was behind them. "Don't worry. I only counted five men. Gaara can handle them on his own."

"What about Naruto?" Sasuke asked. "What if he's injured?"

Shouts and a string of profanities came from a familiar voice across the street.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "If he is injured- then I doubt he is in danger of dying anytime soon." The brunette sighed as he abruptly pulled a gun out of his bag and fired it over his shoulder. A cry of pain followed and one of Orochimaru's men, who was a few feet from reaching the car, in which they were hiding behind, fell to the ground. "Besides," Shikamaru continued as though they were never interrupted, stuffing his gun back into his bag, "I spotted one more person with Naruto."

"Itachi?" Sasuke questioned hesitantly. He wasn't expecting to meet his brother so soon, he was still wrapping his head around the truth that was explained to him earlier that very day.

However, Shikamaru shook his head in the negative. "No, not Itachi. It appeared to be a woman."

"A woman?"

…

Temari removed her gun from her holster and pulled back the hammer. "Naruto," she said, "get into cover."

Naruto snarled as he forced his feet to move. Ignoring the throbbing pain of his shoulder, he dove behind an old rusty forklift and leaned back against it- feeling the cold metal through his blood drenched shirt. He heard Temari shout, her angry words promising a slow painful death to her enemies as she shuffled and ducked for cover also.

Naruto, who was sitting on the cement floor, his legs spread out before him, released a slow breath. The feeling of sweat gathering on his forehead, began to slide down his face, cooling his heated skin. He applied pressure to his wound, biting back a groan as he did so. He opened his blue-eyes when he heard the gunfire steadily grow closer- the bullets bouncing off the forklift that he was hiding behind.

He was unarmed- he had tossed his gun to the floor when that fight with Kabuto had began- Where was it now? For the first time Naruto actually took a good look at his surroundings. Before, he was too occupied with Kabuto to pay proper attention. When had it gotten so dark?

He surveyed the area, noting the wide open space- a parking lot?- and what appeared to be a factory in the distance. On the other side- was a deserted road, parked cars on the curb, and old apartment buildings and two-story homes lined up down the block. They actually weren't that far from town which Naruto had first assumed they were. If they didn't stop the shooting- the local police would no doubt make an appearance.

Naruto clenched his teeth as the bullets, that were bouncing off his cover, increased. He looked off to the right and saw that Temari wasn't having much luck either. They were pinned down. Just when Naruto was about to stand up, to duck behind more reliable cover and search for his handgun, he heard a different type of gunfire that couldn't have come from Kabuto's men.

Looking to the left he saw figures move behind the parked cars. He instantly knew that it was Gaara. Also, it seems that he brought back-up with him. Relief flooded Naruto's senses and he allowed himself to smile.

It didn't take long at all, after Gaara and back-up appeared, for Kabuto's men to be done with. A silence settled over the area and Naruto gingerly stood up. He cradled his shoulder and Temari came up behind him. "They came and took away our fun," she said as she holstered her gun.

Naruto chuckled and glanced over at her with a raised eyebrow, "Heh, talk for yourself. I think I've had enough fun for today."

She shrugged and looked across the darkened street. The only real source of light being moonlight and starlight since the overhead streetlamps began to flicker hazardously. "Gaara!" She shouted pleased.

Gaara walked up to them, stopping just a couple feet shy so that the darkness wouldn't hinder their vision of each other.

"Temari," the redhead said as a greeting. He turned his sea-green eyes toward Naruto, the two silently addressing each other without words and comment.

Lee was the next one to step forward. The energetic man congratulated the two on surviving and not losing hope. Naruto only smiled as Temari frowned.

"It's good to see you again, Naruto." Shikamaru said with a nod in Naruto's direction. The brunette then turned toward Temari and gave an obvious sigh. "Temari," he greeted, "is it safe to assume that you will be the agent representing SAND."

The blonde-haired woman grinned, her row of white teeth shining in the night. "Yup, it'll be just like old times." Although it was apparent that Shikamaru wanted to comment, he held his tongue and sent a not-too-subtle glance at Sasuke who was beside him.

…

There was a moment of stillness, where ebony eyes locked with vibrant blue, that had everyone drenched in an uncomfortable tension. "You're hurt." Came the simple statement from the youngest Uchiha.

Sasuke inwardly cringed at his own tone of voice. He didn't mean for it to come out so disinterested and callous. In reality he was feeling the exact opposite. His heart began to beat faster in his chest when he first got his clear view of the blond-haired agent. He had immediately noticed Naruto's injured left shoulder, how his shirt was blood-soaked and torn. He had noticed Naruto's fatigue- how his spine was slightly slumped and his hair damp from perspiration. He noticed how Naruto's eyebrows were curled in worry and anxiety- How the blond was biting his lower lip in strain. Sasuke noticed everything.

"_I love you. I didn't lie about that." _Those words that Naruto parted with suddenly echoed through Sasuke's mind. It was so unfair for the blond to say that and then just run off; unfair for having to hear the truth from Gaara instead of Naruto; unfair that Sasuke didn't know if he should feel angry, worried, or happy that Naruto was now in front of him. And because Sasuke was feeling confused, his heart racing and his thoughts flooding, he was now on automatic defense. His face blank and his voice cold, nothing revealing his inner confliction, as he stared at Naruto.

…

"You're hurt."

Naruto felt as though he was stabbed again- but this time through the heart. Was Sasuke still mad at him? Naruto scrunched his eyebrows in painful worry. He couldn't blame Sasuke for still being mad. Naruto knew that if their rolls were reversed he would be having a hard time forgiving himself.

One quick glance at Gaara and Naruto knew that the redhead had explained everything. But just because Sasuke now knew the truth- forgiveness was still a ways away. Naruto released an awkward chuckle, hoping to diffuse the tension in the air, as he glanced down at his injured shoulder. "It's nothing I can't handle," he said with a small smile.

Naruto watched as something crossed Sasuke's features. How the raven opened his mouth to say something but ending up closing it and remaining silent. Before that silence had a chance to stretch, Shikamaru spoke up. "We need to camp somewhere for the night."

Sasuke turned away from Naruto and faced Shikamaru. "What about Itachi?"

"There's nothing we can do in this darkness," the brunette replied. "We'll rest, get Naruto treated, and head back out in the morning."

Naruto nodded his head in agreement and grimaced as he applied more pressure to his wound. "There's no safe houses close by. The nearest one is a mile off." The blond said annoyed.

"What about SAND? Do you guys have a safe house nearby?"

Gaara shook his head in the negative and Temari shrugged.

The brunette then tilted his head toward Lee in question. "I'm sorry, but as Naruto said- the nearest safe house is a mile away."

"Can't be helped. We'll call for an agent to pick us up. We can't risk walking so far in this darkness-"

"I know a place." Everyone faced Sasuke who had spoke up. "A friend of mine, Juugo, he doesn't live far from here."

"No can do!" Temari snapped, "I will not let civilians get caught up in this!"

"He's out of town. The place is empty, it wouldn't be a problem."

"Oh,… well if that's the case- Lead the way!"

…

Sasuke walked across the front lawn. But 'lawn' wouldn't be a proper term- it was mostly plain dirt and grossly overgrown weeds. The windows were all cracked, the pale-blue paint chipping off, pots of flowers, which were black and dead, were on the window sills. Everything about the place gave off a troubled ambiance. The large two-story home seemed to hover over them but Sasuke didn't seemed troubled by it as he pulled out his keys and opened the front door.

Another person who didn't seem troubled by the brooding atmosphere was Lee. The bowl-styled-haircut-man grinned as he ran up to the now open front door, which looked like it was torn apart and then boarded back together again and again. "This place is huge!" Lee cried, he then peeked in. "And it's Western style!"

Naruto and Gaara walked together, the blonds arm around the redhead's shoulder for support, as they approached Sasuke who was standing by the entrance. "Are you sure this place is safe, Sasuke?" Naruto questioned hesitantly.

Sasuke automatically glared, "This place may seem a little worn but it will get the job done."

Naruto grimaced and refused to step inside where Lee had already disappeared into. "This place gives me the creeps."

"Don't be a moron and get inside."

Naruto was about to snap back. The playful banter that they used to fall into so naturally, dying on his tongue as they locked eyes and remembered that they weren't supposed to be getting along.

"Just get inside." Sasuke mumbled as he turned away.

Naruto nodded and disappeared with Gaara through the entrance.

Temari and Shikamaru stepped up next. Shikamaru examining his computer pad and Temari done with sweeping the area. "The place looks clear." she said with a sigh.

Shikamaru, not looking up from his pad, spoke "You seem disappointed."

Temari gave a one-shoulder shrug and pushed the brunette through the front door. "I give the place an OK!" She said to Sasuke with a smile and followed Shikamaru inside.

…

"Juugo tends to get violent. As a result there is nothing breakable in this house."

"Nothing breakable?" Shikamaru repeated amused. "I'll say that there is absolutely nothing in this house."

"You got that right! This place looks like a nun's resort!" Naruto bellowed with a laugh. "Does this place even have a TV? Anything electronic? Anything at all?"

"I like it." Gaara said with a small smile. The redhead went into what would usually be the living room but was instead a large open space with a pile of broken wood in the corner. "Where is the kitchen?"

"Right through that archway." Sasuke offhandedly answered.

The redhead noticeably walked across the room and into the kitchen. Rustling sounds could be heard, growing louder and louder, and it seemed like the place was being torn apart by the inside out.

"What is he doing?" Lee asked with a tilt of his head.

Naruto groaned as he found a place on the wall, that didn't have a fist-hole through it, to lean against. "Don't worry about it. He's just looking for food."

Temari barked a laugh and headed through the archway as well. "I'll help the little raccoon."

Shikamaru found a spot that wasn't littered with debris and trash and sat down cross-legged with his bag opened at his side. "Sasuke, is there a place where Naruto can get cleaned up?" Shikamaru queried.

"Upstairs, the bathroom is fully functional."

"I'll help Nar-"

"You have medical training right?" Shikamaru interrupted Lee and pulled the spandex-wearing-man down to sit next to him as he continued to address Sasuke. "I think he's going to need stitching."

Sasuke looked at Naruto and the two locked eyes. "Follow me," Sasuke quietly said.

…

Sasuke closed the door behind them and was fully aware of the blond-haired agent in front of him. The bathroom was small. There was a simple spray with a drain in the corner which served as a shower. There was broken tile on the floor, the paint on the walls was chipping, and the only mirror was cracked beyond repair. A small sink, with an equally small toilet, was in the opposite corner and they were cramped with barely more than three feet separating them, one bright dangling light was over their heads to complete the scene.

"Take off your shirt," Sasuke said bluntly.

"Uh?"

Sasuke glared and tried to keep the heat off his face. "Take off your shirt so I can see your wound, moron."

Naruto didn't say anything as he gripped the hem of his shirt and lifted it. He was about to pull it over his head until a spike of pain flooded his senses and he stilled.

"What's the matter?" Sasuke asked with alarm at Naruto's awkward posture.

"I-I can't fucking take my shirt off!"

Sasuke grumbled something that sounded like 'idiot' and stepped forward and pulled the shirt over Naruto's head in one swift move.

The blond released a thankful breath, lowering his arms to his side, as he lifted his bright, blue eyes. They stared at each other for a moment. Both aware that they were too close but neither seemed to want to move. Sasuke's ebony eyes glanced down and he frowned at the wound on Naruto's shoulder.

"It's worse than I thought. How did this happen?"

"Kabuto. Knife. Stab."

Sasuke frowned, "Kabuto? As in the Teacher's aid in chem. class?"

Naruto tried to keep his temper in check. "That's right. It turns out that he was an Orochimaru spy all along."

Sasuke was shocked but he didn't let it show on his face. "Goes to show that people aren't who they appear to be." The raven said, unable to stop himself. The sudden hurt look in Naruto's blue eyes made Sasuke turn away, making a show of turning on the faucet on the small sink behind him. The water ran lukewarm and the raven drenched a rag. "Does it hurt?" He asked, trying to focus on the wound on the blonds shoulder, pointedly not looking at the blond.

Naruto was finding the atmosphere hard to read. He wanted to say many things. He wanted to ask if Sasuke was angry with him. Well, of course Sasuke was angry, given that earlier comment, but he wanted to know if that anger could be mended. He wanted to know if they could ever be together, even just as friends. Sasuke was right in front of him, they were alone, but Naruto felt as though they were miles apart. There was a distance between them that had Naruto's heart twisted in an agonizing knot. "…It's painful."

Sasuke noted the change in Naruto's voice. He kept his face carefully blank as he faced the blond again and instructed him to sit down on the toilet lid.

The wet rag touched Naruto's injured skin. The blond didn't flinch as the dry blood was being cleaned away. He kept his blue-eyes locked on Sasuke's soft features, wishing that those dark eyes would look at him like they used to.

Sasuke stayed professional, using his first-aid training to clean Naruto's wound gently, without aggravating it. He could feel Naruto's eyes on him but he was determined to ignore it. He rinsed the rag and continued to clean patches of Naruto's skin, taking off the dirt and the dried sweat.

Sasuke had never seen Naruto with his shirt off and therefore never knew that the blond had a spiral tattoo around his navel. He also never knew of the multiple scars that littered Naruto's skin. Many of the scars looked faded and old, but some looked new. Sasuke tried not to stare and instead tossed the bloody rag into the sink and focused on examining Naruto's wound. "It looks like it's already healing."

Naruto gave a light chuckle, his chest moving with the action. "Yeah," he said, "I tend to heal quickly."

They stared at each other for a moment until Sasuke glanced away and pulled a gauze out of his pocket. "You'll be fine without stitching." The youngest Uchiha placed the gauze on the wound and applied pressure. Before Sasuke got the chance to remove his hand from Naruto's shoulder, the blond seized it and held it closely.

"Sasuke," he said, his voice soft in uncertainty, "can we talk?"

Sasuke tried to remove his hand but Naruto's grip was firm. The raven glared and replied. "No."

Naruto made a frustrated noise and pulled Sasuke even closer. "I'm sorry I lied to you, but it was my job."

The raven's glare intensified. "Was it your job to seduce me? To kiss me and touch me…I can't believe I let you fuckin' touch me." He snarled.

"I wasn't supposed to get close to you at all, Sasuke! I was supposed to look after you from a distance! But I couldn't help myself. The more time we spent together, I-"

"I don't want to hear anymore of your lies."

"I'm not lying! I meant what I said, I…ow! How can you hit an injured person!"

Sasuke's fist was still hovering in the air and Naruto thought he would get slugged again. "Just shut up, Naruto, and give me back my hand!" Naruto released his grip on Sasuke's hand and the Uchiha stepped away, putting some distance between them.

Naruto let out a pained groan that had nothing to do with his injury. "I'm sorry for not telling you who I really was." The blond stood up to his full height and stepped forward. Sasuke stepped back. "I'm sorry for not telling you who I worked for." Naruto stepped forward again. Sasuke's back hit the restroom wall and Naruto leaned forward placing a hand on either side of him. "I fell in love with you when I knew I shouldn't, and for that,…I'm not sorry."

Whatever Sasuke's reply was going to be was cut off by a harsh kiss. Naruto crashed their lips together, hard and unyielding. His frustration and desires being pronounced more clearly than it could ever be expressed in words.

Sasuke didn't kiss back. He placed his hands on Naruto's chest and pushed but the blond didn't move. Stubborn moron. As a last resort, Sasuke placed his hand on Naruto's wound and cruelly pressed it. Naruto recoiled back in pain and Sasuke wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"What do you think you're doing!" Sasuke exclaimed, not at all caring that the house had thin walls and the people downstairs could clearly hear them. "You can't just kiss me again, you moron!"

"I'm trying to tell you that what we had, had nothing to do with my job! If you would stop being an asshole you c-"

"Oh, I'm an asshole?"

"Yeah! You're an asshole for not trying to understand my feelings!"

"You're feelings?" Sasuke threw his hands up in exasperation. "I'm the one who was in the dark about everything, the one who wasn't told shit for most of my fucking life!"

Naruto clenched his fists and buried his face. He exhaled a few heavy breaths and finally whispered, "You're right….You're right." He sighed and sat down on the toilet lid, his blue eyes staring off to the side. "I know Gaara told you the truth about your past. And knowing Gaara, that redhead wouldn't leave anything out." Naruto let out a laugh that held no amusement. "Here you are- trying to piece your past together- and I'm just getting in the way. Trying to force you to think about us."

Sasuke didn't say anything. Naruto's quiet confession sinking in.

"I'm sorry. I should of thought more about your feelings." Naruto looked up and locked his somber glaze with Sasuke's. "When this is all over,… when you see Itachi again and work things out… Can we talk then? Try to work things out between us too?"

For a moment, Naruto feared that Sasuke would refuse. That he would tell him to go to hell or something like that. But the raven only nodded and Naruto felt relief beyond relief. "When this is all over…we will talk about us."

-End of Chapter 15-


	17. Chapter 16

TTP,TTK

Chapter 16

…

Gaara's sea-green eyes were fixed on the kitchen ceiling as he contently chewed on a piece of wood that presumably came from a broken chair.

"You think they're done arguing?" Asked Temari who was beside Gaara, her similar colored eyes also looking curiously at the ceiling. When Gaara didn't reply she looked over and automatically frowned. "Gaara, stop eating that!" She yanked the piece of wood out of Gaara's hands and the redhead looked as it bounced on the floor and out of reach. "It's not good for your teeth!"

The redhead only shrugged. He was merely biting the piece of wood because there simply wasn't anything else to chew on in this house. He wished he didn't finish that last bag of cookies so quickly. He was so hungry. The redhead was strongly considering going outside and roaming the neighborhood trashcans.

"So,… Naruto and the youngest Uchiha, huh?" Temari said, a grin forming on her face. "Jealous?"

Gaara glanced at her. "No," he simply replied. Temari made it obvious that she didn't believe him. Gaara ignored the look and made to reach for another piece of wood.

"So… do you want to go check out the neighbor's trashcans?" Temari asked with a knowing smile.

Gaara nodded. " You read my mind."

…

"Is there anything else I should know?" Sasuke asked, watching Naruto pull the shirt back over his head with slight difficulty due to his injury.

"I don't think so…" Naruto began hesitantly. He smoothed out the front of his shirt and grimaced at the dry blood. "Hey, Sasuke, you don't suppose there is an extra shirt around here somewhere, is there?"

Sasuke gestured for Naruto to follow him out of the bathroom, into the sparse bedroom that only had a twin sized bed and a damaged nightstand next to it. He pulled out a shirt from the nightstand and tossed it toward Naruto. "You're in luck."

Naruto pulled the new shirt over his head and was stunned to find that it was over two sizes too big on him. "What the hell…" Naruto muttered. "How fucking huge is this guy? What was his name? Juugo? Wow!" The blond turned toward the twin sized bed. "How can this giant even sleep on that tiny bed!"

"Shut up, Naruto." Sasuke said, his voice laced with amusement nonetheless at Naruto's childish outbursts.

Naruto grinned at Sasuke and then took a hesitant step toward him. "Are you still mad at me, Sasuke?" he asked cautiously.

"Of course I am," answered Sasuke bluntly. "You lied to me, kept important information from me, and treated me like an imbecile." The raven started to make his way toward the bedroom door. "You are going to have to win my trust back." He then looked over his shoulder, toward Naruto. "For now...lets just focus on Itachi and get the whole thing with Orochimaru over with"

Naruto tensed at the mention of Orochimaru's name and instantly regretted it because it didn't go unnoticed by Sasuke watchful, dark eyes.

With a slight pause, Sasuke stepped toward Naruto and asked in a low tone: "What did Orochimaru do to you?"

Naruto forced his muscles to relax and he blew out a tired breath. "Didn't Gaara tell you?"

Blue-eyes wouldn't look at Sasuke and the raven couldn't help but hesitate. "No. He wouldn't tell me anything. He said, I had to ask you."

Naruto scratched the back of his neck, and gave Sasuke a fleeting glance before he stared at the bedroom ceiling resolutely. "Orochimaru…" Naruto could hardly say the vile name. "Orochimaru captured me." The blond moved his blue-eyes to stare out the window next. "He tortured me." Blue-eyes viewed the dirty carpet beneath their feet next. "For months…and months." Naruto finally locked eyes with Sasuke and the Uchiha was shocked by the many hard emotions that shined through. "Itachi saved me from that Hell."

"You really respect my brother."

"I owe him my life." Naruto gave a broken smile and Sasuke was simply amazed.

"We'll find him." The words left Sasuke's mouth without any thought.

Naruto nodded his head and started for the bedroom door. "Let's head back downstairs," he said.

…

Lee sat, with his back ramrod straight and his large, round eyes forward. "Shikamaru," he began to say patiently, "I have already announced that I would take first watch. You should rest."

Shikamaru didn't remove his eyes off his laptop. "I need to chart these tunnels and find exactly where Itachi's tracker stopped functioning."

"Nonetheless, I must argue that-"

"Do you know how long these tunnels expand, and how complex they are? If I don't get the last signal, that was sent from Itachi's tracking device, pinpointed… then we will be traveling blind in enemy territory. That I cannot have. I'm not sleeping till I get it." Shikamaru took a breath, "I'll take first watch. Go ahead and get some rest so that you can take last watch."

Lee opened his mouth to argue but Naruto's voice sounded from the stairwell. "Shikamaru's right, Lee." The blond said. "I'm the only one out of the group who knows these tunnels first hand. I'll be helping Shikamaru formulate a plan."

Naruto approached the duo and Lee saw that Sasuke was making his way down the stairs as well.

"There's a bed upstairs. You can sleep on that, right Sasuke?"

Sasuke nodded and Lee frowned in defeat. "Very well. I'll be ready to relieve you in a couple of hours."

Lee made his way upstairs and Naruto sat down on the floor beside Shikamaru. "Any luck?" he asked with a hint of exhaustion.

Shikamaru shook his head and glanced at Sasuke as the raven sat on the other side of him. "You guys can't expect results so quickly." He said, sensing that the two would pounce on him, and urge him to work faster. "This kind of thing takes time." Shikamaru turned back to his laptop and continued to work.

Sasuke was visually irritated while Naruto only sighed. "Where's the raccoon?" The blond asked, his blue-eyes sweeping the area.

"He couldn't find anything to eat in the house so…"

"He went to rummage through the neighborhood trashcans…" Naruto finished, unsurprised. "I should of brought some emergency rations. At this rate, I'll be starving by tomorrow also." Shikamaru tossed a bag in Naruto's direction. "What's this?"

The brunet didn't take his eyes off the computer screen while he answered. "Before we left your apartment, Gaara gathered a few these that he claimed you can't live without."

Naruto hastily opened the bag and grinned. "Gaara, you're the best," he whispered.

"What is it?" Sasuke questioned, his dark-eyes watching Naruto's grin grow wider and wider.

"Ramen!" Naruto shouted, causing Shikamaru to cringe, and Sasuke to raise an eyebrow. "And my Sweetheart!"

"Sweetheart?"

"It's his gun." Shikamaru muttered.

"You named your gun, 'Sweetheart'?" Sasuke asked.

"Damn right!" Naruto answered. "This baby has been with me through thick and thin. I really owe Gaara for bringing me my Sweetheart." The blond hugged the gun and kissed the black, sleek barrel. "I missed you so much…" he cooed.

"Oh, here wear this, Naruto." Shikamaru balanced his laptop on one knee, reaching a hand into his own bag and pulling out a shirt. "I always carry an extra."

"That's a relief! I was beginning to think I was stuck wearing this giant's shirt. Which, by the way, smells like gummy bears. Can you imagine? A giant eating gummy bears?" Naruto chuckled and he attempted to remove the shirt. Since he was sitting down, it was harder to bend over, his hands got tangled and his shoulder injury began to hurt. He cussed and fumbled, "Sasuke!" he finally called out in defeat.

The raven rolled his eyes and made his way toward the hunched and tangled Naruto. "How the hell did you function without me before?' The raven queried as he pulled the shirt completely off the blond. "I suppose you'll want me to cook your ramen also?"

Naruto's blue-eyes instantly shined, "Would you?"

Sasuke growled and hit Naruto upside the head. "I'm not your freakin' wife."

Naruto moaned and rubbed his soar head. "You're so mean, Sasuke," he whined.

"If Naruto is continued to be abused, I will be forced to intervene in your relationship." Said the deep voice of Gaara. The redhead stood in the doorway, his arms filled with a load of unidentifiable goods.

Naruto smiled warmly. "You're the best, Gaara. Always looking out for me and all," he waved his ramen in the air as an example. "But don't worry, I can handle Sasuke." Sasuke glared and Naruto cringed. "…That is, I'm waiting for Sasuke to forgive me,… before that he's allowed to hit me?" Naruto finished nervously.

Gaara didn't say no more on the subject and he stepped before the three, dumping everything that was in his arms onto the ground in front of them. "I brought snacks," he simply said.

Shikamaru stared at the pile of 'snacks', that was obviously pulled out of a trashcan, and grimaced. "Um…no thank you, Gaara," he said, and then quickly made a show of focusing on his work.

Gaara turned his green-eyes toward Sasuke, and the raven hesitated. "I…I already ate."

Gaara looked at Naruto. "I have my ramen!" He cheered happily.

The redhead shrugged as he plopped down on the floor and reached into the pile of 'snacks' and promptly began eating. Three pairs of eyes were staring at him but Gaara didn't seem to notice. If he did notice, he probably just assumed they were jealous of his treasure trove.

A few seconds passed, the air filled with the content chews by Gaara, when Temari came tumbling through the doorway. "Gaara!" She screamed enraged. "How could you! I saw that first and you know it." She strolled forward and spotted the pile of 'snacks'. "That half Hershey bar is mine!"

She reached for it and Gaara growled.

Sasuke was outright staring and he snapped out of his stupor when he felt his hand being tugged. "We have to get out of here." Naruto warned as he continued to drag Sasuke into the other room.

"Wait…I want to see what happens…"

"Believe me, you don't."

…

The sounds of a struggle breaking out was muffled when Naruto closed the kitchen door. A crash was heard along with the soft curses that flowed out of Shikamaru's mouth in the other room.

"Phew, good thing we got out of there in time," Naruto said relieved.

"What the hell?" Sasuke questioned, his ears catching the sounds of bodies tumbling and rolling on the floor.

The blond grinned. "Ever since Temari and Gaara started to get along, they have been taking their 'sibling-love', as Lee likes to call it, to whole other levels. Fighting, seems to be the only way for them to get over years of solitude."

"Sibling? You mean they're brother and sister?"

Naruto nodded and turned toward the sink. "We're lucky Kankuro isn't here. That crazy bastard always likes to jump in."

Sasuke frowned and shook his head. He didn't really understand any of it. Looking at Naruto's grin and easy attitude however, had him concluding that it was normal.

Dark-eyes watched as the blond kneeled down and searched the cupboards for a pan. With a cry of victory, Naruto filled the pan up with water, turned on the stove, and placed it over the burner. He was tearing the packet of ramen open with his teeth when he noticed Sasuke's stare. "What?" The blond questioned shyly.

Sasuke blinked, he didn't realize he was staring before it was too late. "Nothing," he said evenly.

Naruto poured the contents of the bag into the pan of boiling water, wiped his hands on his pants and walked up to the raven. "You were staring."

"Was I?"

The blond grinned. "Yes, you were…Did you see anything you like?" Naruto teased, effortlessly falling back into old habits of easy flirting.

Sasuke scoffed, his arms folded across his chest, "Not especially," he answered. He was used to this side of Naruto, and though he would never tell the blond, he liked it. He was also relieved that this part of their relationship wasn't fabricated, after everything that has happened, this was familiar.

Naruto stepped more closely and gave that sultry smile. "You sure? Because I definitely see something I like."

Sasuke sucked in a breath. "Naruto…" he warned.

"Do you have any idea how much I want to kiss you?"

Before the moment had a chance to fully form, the kitchen door flew open and Shikamaru tripped inside and slammed the door shut behind him. "Troublesome," he mumbled, holding his laptop against his chest, and looking slightly ruffed as the sounds of battle were increasing in the other room.

The brunet looked up and noticed Naruto and Sasuke's gaze. He instantly recognized the atmosphere and that the two were standing too close together. "Troublesome…" He repeated with a shake of his head, he took a deep breath, flung the door back open and left.

Sasuke arched an eyebrow and Naruto burst out laughing.

…

"Have you got it?" Naruto asked, heaving a sigh as he settled on the cold, wooden floor and leaned back against the wall. He cradled his injured shoulder and closed his blue-eyes in discomfort.

"Not yet." Shikamaru answered. "I still need to finish charting these tunnels, and based on the information you gave me- I'll mark the path that Orochimaru is most likely to take." Shikamaru rubbed his tired eyes. "I had no idea that it would be this difficult."

Naruto chuckled, his eyes still closed, "Orochimaru is a paranoid asshole. I'm sorry I can't be of more help."

"That's alright…You should get some rest. I'll keep watch."

Naruto shook his head and forced his eyes open. "Not until Sasuke goes to sleep. The stubborn bastard needs the rest more than I do."

Shikamaru raised a brow, "But you're the one whose injured," he said.

Naruto shrugged, the motion straining his shoulder though he didn't let it show on his face. "Sasuke's the one whose on an emotional rollercoaster ride. Dude needs to sleeps in order to process all the information and everything." Naruto made a gesture of a rollercoaster and slumped back against the wall.

On the far side, Sasuke snapped, "Don't talk like I'm not here," he scowled. "And I already told you- I'm okay. I don't need to be coddled, specially by you, Naruto."

The blond held his hands up in mock defense. "Okay. Okay," he exclaimed. "No need to get all bitchy."

Sasuke glared and was about to retort when Gaara walked into the room. "I agree with Naruto," he said in his deep voice. "You stay up, since you're so energetic, me and Naruto will rest. Is that satisfactory, Shikamaru?"

The brunet, who was hunched over his laptop, gave a sound of approval. Before Naruto or Sasuke could say anything, Gaara walked across the room toward Naruto. Once he was in front of the blond, he sat down and pulled Naruto's uninjured arm over him. He laid his redhead on Naruto's chest and promptly closed his sea-green eyes.

"What do you think you're doing?" Sasuke called from the other side of the room.

Naruto smiled at the jealous tone in Sasuke's voice as he cuddled closer to Gaara's warm body. "Gaara can't sleep without me." The blond stated matter-of-factly. Naruto couldn't help but relax at the familiar body pressed up against him. He knew Gaara needed this comfortable, familiar feeling, so he didn't object. Plus, it was nice to see Sasuke glare.

Shikamaru didn't take his eyes off the computer screen as he spoke. "Get over it, Sasuke. You might as well get some rest too, because in only a few more hours, we'll be raiding Orochimaru's tunnels."

Sasuke huffed and rested his head against the wall. His dark-eyes noticed that Naruto and Gaara had already fallen asleep. Tomorrow he just might be able to meet his brother. He closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind. Maybe Naruto was right, Sasuke thought, he suddenly felt exhausted. The sounds of Shikamaru typing away on the keyboard lulled him to sleep.

Tomorrow was sure to be another rollercoaster ride.

-End of Chapter 16-


	18. Chapter 17

TTP, TTK

Chapter 17

…

Shikamaru shielded his eyes from the burning morning sun and made a sound of annoyance. "So troublesome," he repeated for the fifth time that morning. The first troublesome occurrence happened when he was trying to wake up the youngest Uchiha. Shikamaru lifted a hand to rub at his still-sore chin, in which Sasuke had slugged him in his sleep. Sasuke obviously had a violent dream and the brunet got a fistful when trying to wake him up.

The second troublesome occurrence happened when Naruto and Gaara woke up. Naruto was being his usual energetic-self, but the redhead was in such a sleepy daze, that it took three of them in order to stop Gaara from stripping into his birthday suit. Gaara, mumbling over and over again- 'that he slept in the nude.' In the end, Naruto carried the redhead on his back, where they kept feeding him his 'snacks', gradually becoming coherent as he chewed.

The third troublesome occurrence was Lee himself. With Lee's shouts of youthfulness, Naruto joining in, Shikamaru got an automatic headache.

The fourth troublesome occurrence was Temari. That woman was keeping up an insistent teasing that she knew he loathed. Women were so troublesome.

Now, the fifth troublesome occurrence was happening. They had marched the team, the team consisting of Naruto, Gaara, Sasuke, Lee, Temari, and Shikamaru himself, out of Juugo's house- that was dubbed a 'safe house'; had traveled toward one of Orochimaru's known hideaways and were now searching for an entrance to the tunnels.

Shikamaru announced that they should search separately, he was alone on the west side of the hill and softly cursing the blazing sun, the slightly wet grass, as he searched for a panel that would lead to the underground passageway. "Why can't this be easy for a change?" He said, "Too bad I don't have a metal detector."

…

"You wouldn't happen to have a metal detector, Sasuke, huh?"

The raven glanced up at the blond and gave a look that said, you're-so-stupid-I-should-kill-you. He waved his hands at his side and said, "Oh, darn! I forgot to bring the spare that I always carry!"

Naruto huffed, "Geeze…just thought I'll ask." Gaara, at the blonds side, tugged on his sleeve and Naruto hastily reached a hand into his bag to pull out a snack.

The redhead took the snack and began to chew, blinking his eyes, willing the sleepiness away. Bending down, Naruto moved aside a pile of loose leaves, he let his hands run through the dirt and searched for any handles. "The entrance will be small. Can be easily missed- search for any recently disturbed ground." Naruto informed.

Sasuke went off to search near a tree and Temari wiped her brow as she approached Lee. "Say Lee, maybe you can read this better than me." She handed Lee a small computer pad. "Shikamaru high-lightened a few areas on the map where he thinks the entrance might be."

Lee, with his large eyes and bowl-styled haircut took the pad and frowned at it. "I've never been good at these things," he said. He peered closer and swept a glance around the area. "Seems like it might be over there though." He finally announced, pointing a few meters away. Temari nodded and Lee lead the way.

Several minutes passed, everyone searching, everyone getting frustrated with each passing minute without success. Finally, an unknown sing-song-voice sounded and captured everybody's attention. "Whoohoo…I found it!"

…

Naruto and Gaara approached the owner of the unknown voice first. By now, Gaara was wide awake and he looked on disinterested at the person in question. Naruto, on the other hand, had his jaw on the floor.

"What the hell are you doing here?" The blond screeched, pointing a finger accusingly.

The man before them grinned. Well, at least they figured he grinned, since a mask hid half his face and his multi-colored eyes were in upside-down u's. The man gave a small bow, gravity-defying-silver-hair swaying with the movement. "Good to see you too, Naruto." He said.

Naruto growled. "Cut the crap, Kakashi. You disappeared from KAGE over a decade ago. You can't just reappear as though nothing happened!"

Gaara glanced at Naruto, and then at the silver-haired man that was now identified as 'Kakashi'. "It looks like he just has, Naruto." He quickly said, his sea-green eyes narrowed in thoughtfulness. "Hatake Kakashi. I have heard much about you. You are a Legend."

Kakashi made a strange noise in the back of his throat and stepped back in a exaggerated display of shyness. "Oh stop," he cooed. "You're going to make me blush."

Naruto rolled his eyes and Gaara raised an eyebrow. "As you wish."

From the side, Sasuke approached and an automatic frown formed on his pale face as he stepped closer. "What the hell are you doing here, Kakashi." He asked.

Kakashi seemed to grin again. "That must be the popular greeting of the day." He joked, his posture easy and a light attitude emitting from him. "Hello again, Sasuke."

"Wait!" Naruto shouted. "You guys know each other?"

Kakashi gave a shrug and Sasuke deadpanned, "He's my guardian. He also taught me how to fight."

Naruto's jaw hit the floor again. "Are you fucking kidding me…" He groaned. "I didn't know that. Is that why you disappeared for over a decade?" He asked Kakashi. Naruto suddenly paused. "Wait, you refused to train me… and every other agent, and trained a civilian instead?"

"Hey!" Sasuke snapped. He didn't like the way Naruto used the word 'civilian'.

Kakashi gave an enthusiastic nod. "Yup, that pretty much covers it."

Shikamaru approached the group, with Temari and Lee trailing behind him. "What's all the commotion about?" The brunet drawled and then tossing the silver-haired-agent a curious glance. "Kakashi, welcome back. Joining us on the mission?"

"Yes. If you don't mind that is. You are, after all, mission leader, and I'm not here to take over. I'll follow your orders."

Shikamaru nodded his head in professional acknowledgment.

"I figured you were mission leader, Shikamaru, but you should of told me outright." Naruto mumbled over the group and towards the brunet with an obvious frown.

"I outrank you. I don't need to inform you. Besides, I didn't want to hear you complain. Your original mission is to be Sasuke's bodyguard. Let me handle everything else…So troublesome."

Temari wasn't interested in the conversation, standing off at the side and examining her nails. Lee, the spandex-wearing-guy turning into a green blur, rushed and hugged Kakashi with glee. "It is good to see you alive!" He bellowed. "Gai Sensei would be so pleased to have his old adversary back!"

Kakashi gave an uneasy chuckle and removed the weeping-green-smurf off his chest. "Speaking of Gai," he began to say calmly, "He said to send you to Base 3 in order to work on Plan B."

"Yes, sir!" Lee saluted and ran off down the road.

Everybody was silent for a moment as they watched Lee disappear in the distance. Finally, with a kick of his foot, Kakashi revealed the entrance to the tunnels.

Shikamaru made a satisfied noise in the back of his throat and moved forward. "This is it. These tunnels are dark so stick together," he said, pulling out a flashlight with his free hand, his other hand holding a pad that had the schematics of the tunnels. "Let's move."

Shikamaru made his way into the tunnels, well aware that his order of 'let's move', was only followed by Temari and Gaara. He gave a displeased grunt and pulled out a small glow-stick. He snapped the glow-stick in half and waved it in the air for a couple of second until it glowed a bright green. Dropping the glow-stick to the ground, marking a path for the others to follow, he proceeded to walk. Going only a few meters before he pulled out another glow-stick to place on the ground.

…

"So you were just a hired agent, ordered to look after me?" Sasuke asked Kakashi, acid dripping in his voice.

Kakashi shook his head sadly. "No Sasuke. I truly am your guardian. I was good friends with your Father and Mother. I'm sorry I couldn't say so before."

The youngest Uchiha had his arms crossed against his chest in a defensive posture. The blond at his side, took a step toward Kakashi, and said: "How come I didn't know about this?"

Kakashi was blunt. "You didn't have to know. No one knows, except, or course, Tsunade-sama." Kakashi glanced at the tunnel entrance where Shikamaru and the others disappeared into. "I've always been close-by and I knew that this day would come. I'm here to help you, Sasuke."

Sasuke's glared softened at those words. He couldn't exactly blame Kakashi. He owed the silver-haired-man a lot. It was because of Kakashi that he was kept out of the foster system, that he was allowed to get his own apartment. And most importantly, Kakashi taught him how to fight. How to protect himself and how to sharpen his senses. He taught him how to mediate, how to clear his mind, so that the disturbing images of his dead parents haunted him no more.

"Alright," Sasuke consented. The raven gave Kakashi one last glance before he headed into the tunnels.

Kakashi and Naruto were left alone outside.

"So…" Naruto began to say, "any chance you can teach me the chidori technique? when this is all over of course." Naruto couldn't get over the fact that a civilian, (aka Sasuke), knew how to do the technique where you can literally punch through a mans' chest with pure strength alone.

Kakashi didn't answer, merely giving a smile before he disappeared into the tunnels also.

"Damn," Naruto cursed.

…

Tsunade growled, a sound that filled the walls and filled rookies with terror. "Where the hell is my Task Force?" She bellowed.

A man named Genma, her temporary assistant that had already filed for a transfer request, approached the desk with trepidation. Tsunade was seated in a simple wooden chair, it's lanky legs scarping against the polished floor without mercy. "Um…" He began to say.

"What does 'um' mean, Agent Genma!" She roared, her fierce glare set solely on him. "'Um', is not a goddamn answer! 'Um', is the difference between life and death, and it is leaning towards the DEATH side!"

Rookies were running wild in the room, pacing side to side, running documents here and there. They didn't dare make eye-contact with the enraged Head of KAGE.

"Gai is gathering the Task Force at Base 3 and hasn't sent an updated report just yet." Genma quickly rambled out.

"Get Gai on the phone! If you can't get him on a secure line then get your ass to Base 3 and get me a written report! I want to know what the hell is taking him so long!"

Genma was already walking backwards towards the door. The rookies walking around him in order to avoid a collision. "Yes, yes, right away, Tsunade-sama!" He was out the door.

…

Itachi blinked his eyes with difficulty. Above, a bright single light-bulb illuminated the small room. He could feel that his long hair was sticking to his nape and shoulders. His skin felt warm and he struggled to sit up. A sharp pain flooded his senses and he looked down to see blood spilling from a poorly stitched wound. Itachi moved a hand to touch it and found that it was chained to the wall.

The rusted chains rattled and he sighed tiredly, resting his head against the filthy wall. How long has he been imprisoned, he thought. He raised his hands again, feeling the muscles strain and hearing as the chains scrape the grimy floor. He couldn't hear anything else. Nobody seemed to be behind the door that was only a couple of feet away, but he knew better.

Orochimaru was trying to break him again. But he didn't succeed the first time and he wasn't going to succeed now. The door was opening and Itachi formed a resolve that was unmovable as a mountain.

…

Shikamaru was peering at the schematics when he heard it. He came to a sudden halt and Temari bounced off of him. "What's the deal?" She said, irritated that she almost dropped her flashlight.

"Shut up," he snapped, lifting a hand up in the air.

The voices of Naruto and Sasuke in the background were apparent.

"I'm just saying, do you know or not know how to do the Chidori." Naruto asked.

Sasuke's annoyance was clear in his voice. "If I didn't answer you the first time, what makes you think I'm going to answer you the twentieth time. Shut up before you find out first hand."

"Ah ha! So you do know how to do it!" Naruto grinned.

"Shut up!" Shikamaru roared from the front. "Be quiet. I hear something."

They immediately went silent and were on alert. Everyone reaching and pulling out a handgun. Sasuke greatly irked that he was the only one unarmed.

Naruto moved forward, his footsteps light and shoulders taut. "What is it, Shikamaru?" He whispered.

Shikamaru's eyes were narrowed and he pointed a finger down an adjacent tunnel.

Naruto nodded his head and swiftly headed in the direction. One hand held a flashlight and his other hand laid on his wrist holding his revolver, Sweetheart, leveled.

The tunnels were darker than they had first anticipated. Flashlights made circles of light that shined on the grim tunnel walls. Naruto, with steady breathing, moved the flashlight back and forth and searched for something, anything.

One tunnel only led to another and Naruto sighed in disappointment. Suddenly a noise carried to his ears and Naruto swirled, pointing his flashlight and gun on a rat.

"Oh," Naruto let out.

…

Shikamaru and the others waited patiently. Their ears straining to catch any sort of sound, but none came. Finally Naruto reappeared, the blond holstering his weapon. "Nothing. Only a rat."

Shikamaru released a breath, and silently cursed at how tense he was. "Let's keep going." The brunet called over his shoulder to the others. "These tunnels extend for miles, let's pick up our pace." He looked down at his map and went down the opposite adjacent tunnel. "This better be the right way." He muttered, definitely not wanting to spend more time than necessary in the crude, bleak tunnels.

In the back, Naruto found his place beside Sasuke again. The raven looking at him with an unreadable expression. "What?" The blond asked, his blue eyes still somewhat apparent in the darkness.

"I want a weapon. Give me that 9 mil that you're not using."

Naruto scoffed, "Yeah right. Do you even know how to fire a gun?"

Sasuke glared. "Yes," he hissed.

Behind them Kakashi leaned forward, "I taught him myself. I think it's a good idea."

Naruto grunted, "He doesn't need a gun. I'm his bodyguard. I'll protect him."

"Oh, I feel so much better." Sasuke quipped. "Just give me a gun."

"No."

"Give it"

"No"

"Naruto" The raven snarled.

"Sasuke" The blond said calmly.

"Giv-"

"Shut up!" Shikamaru exclaimed from the front.

Naruto smiled smugly at Sasuke. He didn't get to gloat because he felt someone tug on his sleeve and he turned to face Gaara.

"Oh," Naruto quietly whispered, "There's no more snacks, Gaara."

Even in the darkness the blond could see the sea-green eyes widen. "No more…?"

Naruto patted his red locks and continued walking wherever Shikamaru was leading them.

Gaara was still unmoving when Kakashi walked past. The silver-haired agent had a book in his hands and was reading with the aid of his flashlight. "You'll get left behind," he said to the SAND agent.

-End of Chapter 17-

A/N: There was a review from SilverXStarlight. She mentioned that I should start a 'Feed-The-Gaara foundation. I think that's an awesome idea! When you leave a review, name whatever kind of snack you want Gaara to eat. Gaara will pick his favorite one and mention it in the next chapter. Sound fun? Please donate- Gaara is hungry…

-NHT-


	19. Chapter 18

TTP,TTK

Chapter 18

A/N: Thanks for all your awesome reviews and donations! Gaara is mighty happy. *Gaara nods enthusiastically and chews on a hot-from-the-oven donated chocolate muffin*

…

Maito Gai, a forty-something year old man, who looked incredibly like a green smurf; was standing in the center of a bland room, his presence seemingly being the only thing lighting up the place. He smiled a brilliant smile, his white teeth literally glowing and sparking- making people squint and wince when they looked at him.

"I will call us, 'The Fabulous Team Gai!'" He bellowed, satisfaction in his voice and his short-black-bowl-style hair swaying when he raised his arms toward the ceiling.

A grunt sounded in the back, right corner of the room and Gai swirled around to come face to face with a woman. The woman had a foam plate dangling from her fingertips while her other hand held a stick of skewered dango dumplings; sweet sauce lightly dripping onto the floor. "We are not calling the team that," she stated.

Gai waved his hands in the air again, his green jacket- that held multiple knifes and magazines- raising up and rattling. "What's wrong with, 'The Fabulous Team Gai'!" He demanded, his wide dark eyes widening even more.

The woman grunted again, stuffing the rest of her sweet dango into her mouth and tossing the foam plate forward and then throwing the wooden stick to skewer the plate against a nearby column. "Because it's lame," she said bluntly. Her purplish-colored hair obstructed her chocolate colored-eyes and she stood up to her full height that didn't nearly reach six feet. "I say we stick with ,'Task Force', that's what Tsunade is calling us anyway, right Asuma?"

On the opposite side of the room, beside the open window, the man named Asuma breathed out a cloud of smoke that got dispersed by the wind. He shrugged his large shoulders and flicked his cigarette, slowly turning just in time to see Gai waving his arms again. "I don't care either way, Anko," he drawled.

Anko shook her purple hair out of her eyes and pointed an accusing finger. "Stop being so neutral, Asuma. You can at least have an opinion since you know this green smurf won't drop it unless he's outvoted."

Gai, who was still in the center of the room, blinked. "Green Smurf?" He blinked again. "What is a Smurf?"

Asuma shrugged his large shoulders again and took a drag of his cigarette. Anko strode forward and was about to reply when another voice sounded from across the room.

"Stop being so unpleasant, Anko."

Anko scoffed, "Kurenai, the sweet one," she quipped sarcastically. "I'm sorry that I'm so uncouth."

Kurenai, being the only other person in the room- as well as the only other woman- crossed her legs and leaned forward in her seat. "It's a fictional cartoon character, Gai." She stated, ignoring Anko and looking at Gai. "And as much as I hate to agree with Anko,…I think we should just stick with the name, 'Task Force'."

Gai's face fell in disappointment but he quickly grinned again and bellowed, "Task Force, it is!"

Kurenai returned the smile and leaned back into her seat, her strangely natural, crimson-colored eyes shifting to look at Anko.

Anko grunted again and turned around to return to her corner- sprawling into a chair and her armored, shameless see-through fishnet wear- that noticeably outlined her breasts, revealing that she was not wearing a bra- riding up and showing her navel. "Whatever," she mumbled.

Kurenai shook her head at the display and in the corner of her eye she saw Asuma's appreciative glance and automatically scowled at him. Asuma feeling the glare, cleared his throat and glanced back out the window. A few seconds of silence passed until Asuma crushed his cigarette on the windowsill and spoke. "He's here."

Gai made a strange noise in the back of his throat and rushed toward the door. The door was thrown open to show a what seemed to be a younger version of himself. "Lee! My student!" Gai cried. They gave each other a great, big bear hug, where Gai lifted him up and twirled him around once before setting him back down. "The Task Force is now complete!" Gai cheered.

Kurenai smiled; Asuma politely made his way toward them, and Anko clapped her hands together loudly. "Finally," she said, standing up and planting one of her hands onto each green smurf. "We can get on with it. Are you going to tell us what we are doing here now?"

"We are to assist Shikamaru and Naruto in the retrieval of Itachi." Gai announced proudly.

Kurenai and Asuma absorbed the information and Anko gawked. "Assist?" She hissed. "I thought we were the Task Force!"

"Shikamaru and the others have already entered the tunnels where we think Orochimaru is hiding" Lee spoke up, making every set of eyes turn on him.

"That's right, Lee." Gai stated. "Not only are we to assist them, but once Itachi is safe- we are to locate Orochimaru and terminate him."

"That's more like it!" Anko shouted with approval. "That snake is going to get what's coming to him!"

Kurenai brushed her long, dark hair aside and gave Anko a concerned gaze. "Are you sure you can handle this, Anko?"

Anko narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists. "I was once Orochimaru's student. I am the best one for the job." Kurenai didn't remove her gaze and Anko sighed. "I can handle it." She stated firmly, with enough resolution that it cooled Kurenai's concern.

Asuma clicked his tongue and scratched the top of his head. "I knew this day would come." He sighed. "When do we leave?"

"Now," Gai stated with sudden seriousness. "Lee gave me the location of the tunnels where Shikamaru and the others have entered. We will be entering through another tunnel entrance and hopefully meet them half-way."

Lee pulled out a computer pad and held it out so that everyone could see the screen. "The tunnels are startlingly extensive. They run for miles in each direction."

Kurenai grabbed the pad and examined it. "What are these high-lightened areas?"

"Those are the locations where Shikamaru concluded Orochimaru might be," Lee affirmed.

Anko peered at the screen and frowned. "There's quite a few. Where the hell do we start?"

Asuma grunted and pulled the pad out of Kurenai's hand and turned to walk toward the small table that was nearby. He opened the laptop that was on top the table and logged in. As he waited for it boot, the others walked toward him and peeked over his shoulder. "What are you doing, Asuma?" Kurenai asked.

"I got an idea," was all Asuma said as he plugged the pad into the computer and started typing away on the keyboard.

A few minutes passed and Anko huffed and crossed her arms along her chest. "We don't have all day…" She drawled impatiently.

No one answered her, Asuma continuing to type away, and her irritation began to grow faster. Before she could snap however there was a knock at the door that had everyone pausing and raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

Gai was the first one to react, jogging toward the door and quickly answering it. "Genma!" He shouted pleased when he saw who was on the other side of the door.

Genma chewed on a toothpick that was in his mouth and gave a lazy wave to Gai and to the others. He walked in and closed the door behind him as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a satellite phone. "Use this phone to contact Home Base. It's secure and Tsunade is waiting for your report." He announced professionally before tossing the phone and Gai clumsily caught it.

"Ah hah," Asuma smiled and glance over his shoulder and beckoned everyone closer. "I found it."

"What did you find?" Lee asked excitingly.

"This," Asuma pointed at the screen and a red blotch colored one of the larger cavities in between the tunnels.

"What the hell am I looking at?" Anko muttered.

"It's a heat signature." Asuma declared .

"Heat," Kurenai whispered, "as in body heat?"

Asuma nodded. "Or perhaps a radiator. But it's still our best chance."

"Excellent!" Gai cheered, gathering everyone into a group hug that made everybody except Lee- squirm.

Lee's smile disappeared as he peered closely at the screen. "It's far from where Naruto and the others entered. We should tell them."

Kurenai shook her head. "These tunnels block out most of our communications. We can't contact them."

Gai frowned. "They'll have to figure it out themselves. We can't risk it."

Everybody nodded in agreement. Suddenly Genma cleared his throat and all turned their eyes toward him. "The report. If Tsunade doesn't get an update soon it's on my ass."

Gai looked at the satellite phone and grimaced. He obviously didn't want to talk to an enraged Tsunade. Nobody did. Finally Kurenai rolled her eyes and swiped the phone out of Gai's hands. "I'll do it."

Gai gave a radiant smile that Lee mimicked. "Such a team player!"

…

Shikamaru paused, his eyes staring at the screen, and a frown forming on his face. Temari came up beside him and whispered, "What is it?"

The brunet sighed. "Nothing," he pointed at the screen. "See this? There's an open area up ahead. There's a possibility that they're there or was once there."

Temari nodded in understanding. She turned around just in time to see the rest closing in on them. "We're stopping here to rest." She announced.

"Rest," Sasuke said with distaste. He opened his mouth to say more but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"I think that's a good idea," said Kakashi. "We've been walking for over two hours. We should rest and gather up some strength, we might need it."

Naruto made a sound of approval and moved forward, pulling out his gun swiftly. "I'll scout ahead." Shikamaru nodded and Naruto disappeared down the tunnel, flashlight in hand.

Sasuke was muttering under his breath, saying that he didn't need to rest and that they didn't have time for this. Kakashi's hand was still on his shoulder and Sasuke found himself being pushed down and forced to sit on the grimy tunnel floor.

"No complaining, Sasuke." Kakashi said as he leaned against the wall, his flashlight shining on a book and reading.

Sasuke forced his muscles to relax and he put his flashlight on the ground so that it shined off the opposite wall. His dark eyes watched Shikamaru and Temari settled down on the ground also. Shikamaru focusing his attention on the computer pad and Temari letting out a loud yawn.

Finally he realized that Gaara was no where in sight.

…

Naruto took slow, measured steps down the dark tunnel. His Sweetheart was leveled in front of him and he used his flashlight to lead the way, occasionally shining it on the floor so that to make sure he didn't step on anything that would sound his approach.

He came to a fork in the road, or I should say- a fork in the tunnel- and he choose to go down the left one first. He went in, going about ten paces, used his flashlight and strained his ears to catch any sort of sound- nothing. Naruto backed up to his original position, and then went down the right tunnel. He did the same thing and the came to the same conclusion- nothing.

Naruto sighed in disappointment, relief, and was about to make his way back to the group before he bumped into somebody.

"Whoa!" Naruto whispered harshly. "Oh, it's just you, Gaara." The blond holstered his gun and gave the redhead a curious look. "What are you doing over here?"

Gaara took a step toward Naruto, his sea-green eyes narrowing into an unreadable expression. Naruto didn't move when the redhead took another step forward, so close that their chests almost touched.

"Gaara?" Naruto was dumbfound when Gaara looped his hands around Naruto's waist, then slide them down and into Naruto's back pockets. Gaara was rummaging for something and Naruto opened his mouth to ask once again what was going on before Gaara abruptly pulled away.

Naruto's blue-eyes landed on the object that was gripped in Gaara's hand. It was a sandwich sized baggie that had one last chocolate chip cookie from Hinata's last batch. "Uh oh," Naruto choked out, reading Gaara's expression as one of anger. The blond had been saving the one last cookie and purposely hid it from Gaara.

Gaara didn't appreciate that.

…

Memories of his childhood and images of his parents were assaulting Sasuke's mind. The raven forced out a large breath and attempted to clear his thoughts. When they were on the move, Sasuke focused on the rhythm of 'one foot after the other.' Plus, Naruto was a good distraction. The blond making trivial conversation and the two of them frivolously arguing about anything and everything.

But as Sasuke sat there, on that cold, damp floor- he noticed just how restless he was. How his nerves were shot and his muscles uneasy. Sasuke awkwardly realized that if Naruto was beside him, perhaps such thoughts wouldn't plague him, they probably wouldn't be anywhere near him.

He couldn't stop thinking about Itachi. The possibility that he might already be dead was fierce and merciless. He didn't even know this Orochimaru person, but the pieces of information that he was able to put together weren't promising. It didn't help that every time the name was mentioned- Naruto would tense up and bring up an emotional guard that he couldn't penetrate.

Sasuke was silently berating himself at how pathetic he felt, wishing that he had a handgun and imagining how the cool metal would feel in his hands, when Naruto finally came into view. The blond was limping. Soft curses could be heard as Naruto cut through the middle of the group in order to sit next to Sasuke.

"What's wrong with you?" Sasuke asked with a lift of his brow.

As if on cue, Gaara came into sight. The redhead plopped down beside Shikamaru and he was nibbling on something in his hands.

Naruto glowered and leaned toward Sasuke to whisper into his ear. "Gaara found my cookie," was all he said. Naruto still had his eyes narrowed angrily as Gaara gave a sigh of contentment. "The little prick kicked me in the shin."

Sasuke couldn't help a small smile that found its way to his face. Everything that he was feeling before, the uneasiness and the uncertainly, was gone. Totally vanished with Naruto's presence beside him.

Several minutes passed, where Kakashi was quietly giggling to himself, Naruto poking at the man's pant legs and demanding to know what he was reading. When Kakashi didn't answer, Naruto sneered and whispered 'porn' to Sasuke.

Temari had her eyes closed in a calm demeanor. Her weight resting on her forearms and her legs sprawled in front of her.

Gaara seemed to be pouting, his sea-green eyes looking down at his empty hands. Suddenly Gaara noticed a bag that was beside him. The bag belonged to Shikamaru but Gaara had no qualms about rummaging through it.

Shikamaru looked up from his pad and exclaimed irritably. "Hey, that's mine!"

Temari opened her eyes just in time to see Shikamaru and Gaara having a tug-of-war match over a bag of skittles. She grinned and leaned toward Shikamaru. "Careful. He bites." She warned.

Shikamaru reluctantly let go and Gaara promptly opened the bag of skittles and began devouring them.

The brunet huffed, "At least try to enjoy them before you stuff them down your throat," he said grumpily.

After several more minutes passed, the peaceful silence ending, they began to gather up their stuff and stand up. Their flashlights made circles of light against the grim tunnel walls and they settled on a steady pace.

"There is an open area up ahead," Shikamaru announced. "There are actually four in total, within half-an- hours reach… we'll have to check each one of them." They came to the fork in the tunnel and Shikamaru went down the left one without hesitation.

Everyone followed without hesitation.

Before they even went twenty paces, footfalls could be heard behind them. Everyone instinctually ducked low to the ground. The footfalls became faster and nearer. Everyone pulled out a weapon- everyone that is except Sasuke- and pointed their flashlights down the tunnel.

Finally two silhouettes appeared and they halted before the group, their hands slowly raising toward the tunnel ceiling when they realized they had five guns on them.

One of the unknown men croaked out, amused and amazed. "Shit, Juugo, I'm totally going to haunt you if I end up dieing."

Sasuke who was behind the rest, quickly made his way to the front and laid his hand on top of Naruto's gun, slowly lowering it. "Juugo? Suigetsu?" He called out, instantly recognizing them when he shined his flashlight in their faces.

The two now-named men grinned.

-End of Chapter 18-

A/N: Next Chapter you'll see just how and why Juugo and Suigetsu suddenly showed up.

Donations: I only got to mention 3 Donations in this chapter. I'll work hard to mention more into the story, and if I can't I'll mention it in the authors note. The Foundation is still open so you guys can continue to donate. And Gaara returns your hug, CrowFether!

-Thank you for reading! -NHT


	20. Chapter 19

TTP, TTK

Chapter 19

A/N: Gaara thanks you for your donations! (Gaara takes a big bite out of a donated cupcake.)

…

-Flashback-

Naruto was numb. He had lost all nerve feeling a couple hours prior, during his "cleansing." Orochimaru said that the cleansing was for Naruto's own good. It got rid of that nasty thing called a conscious. That snake would smile into his face. He would whisper nonsense and madness into Naruto's ear. Naruto got to the point where he couldn't tell upright from upside-down. The room that he was locked in, where he hasn't left for over two months, had no windows- so he hasn't seen the sun. Was there even a sun anymore?

Sometimes Naruto was emerged in complete silence. Where the only sound was that of your breathing or the soft steps of a mouse. During these times, Naruto was sure that he had gone mad. The silence so still and overwhelming that he felt smothered.

Sometimes Naruto was surround by voices. Overlapping words that bounced off the walls and into his ears. He has tried to make sense of it, but he couldn't. No matter how hard he tried. No matter how badly he wanted to understand.

And Naruto was alone. The four walls of his prison taunting him. Orochimaru was the only person Naruto would see. Those yellow eyes staring into his soul and tainting it with a blackness that felt like poison. Those long, pale fingers touching his sweat-dried-flesh. That wide mouth grinning and showing a row of white teeth that Naruto could see even in the dimness of his prison.

Naruto was all alone. Why hasn't anyone come to rescue him? Was he even alive? Is this Hell? Was he not worth saving?

Orochimaru was whispering in his ear again. He could feel a chill in the air, it made the hairs on his arms stand on end, whenever that snake got close. A warm liquid began to run down the length of his arm and Naruto knew that it was blood. What the hell did this psychopath want? Easy, Orochimaru wanted to break him. To tear him down to his lowest point. To create a reality where Naruto wouldn't be saved- that Orochimaru was the only one that could do that- That is, if Naruto gave in.

He kept telling Naruto that he had no friends. No one was going to save him. And Naruto was beginning to believe him. Why would his friends let him suffer for so long? Did he have any friends? He didn't even remember anymore.

Then came the day. It was a day much like all the others- Where Naruto was trapped in that dark room. His hands and feet tied with hard leather and duck tape. A bowl of brownish water was in the corner of the room and Naruto rejected it. Food, a slimy brown substance, was forced down his throat- He only got fed once a week and even then- he rejected anything that was given to him.

He was surround by those voices again when it happened. But the voices were different somehow. Naruto couldn't tell how they were different, only that they were. The door to his confinement was slammed open. A bright light, the hallway light, spilled into the room and straight into Naruto's eyes- making him retreat and try to hide in a corner.

A man entered the room and Naruto dreaded that it could be Orochimaru. Did the snake finally decide to kill him? The man was now before him and Naruto fought back the best he could. But with his body, exhausted and suffering from malnutrition, his limbs bound, he couldn't do much and the man easily subdued him.

Naruto was lifted off the ground. The sudden movement making his head swim and the nerves that were numb suddenly spark alive. He cried out in pain, that warm substance known as blood spilling from reopened wounds that were poorly mended.

"Naruto."

The man spoke but Naruto didn't understand, it hurt way too damn much.

"Naruto."

He was laid down on a cold floor. The walls were white and light surrounded him. Did he die?

"Naruto."

Naruto finally realized that someone was calling his name. That someone was touching his face and hair with a gentleness that he had forgotten could exist.

"I'm sorry it took me so long to find you, Naruto." The voice said.

Naruto's eyes finally adjusted to the brightness. He found himself peering up into ebony-colored-eyes. Raven hair framed a familiar pale face, but for the life of him Naruto couldn't remember.

"Naruto, you're going to be alright."

Usually when people said that, it meant that they wouldn't be alright. But this person said it with conviction, with such certainty that Naruto believed him. The ache that encompassed his body faded, as though by magic, and he peered closer at his savoir. "Itachi?" He asked, his voice uneven and broken.

The man nodded his head and moved a lock of sweat, dirt-soaked-blond-hair out of Naruto's face. "I found you."

Naruto, through his chapped, dried lips, smiled and Itachi smiled back.

-END OF FLASHBACK-

"Suigetsu, Juugo, what the hell are you two doing down here?" Sasuke asked, curiously and anger in his voice.

"Sasuke!" Juugo, whose hands were still raised, since five guns were still pointed at them, leaned toward Suigetsu and elbowed the lanky man beside him. "Look, Suigy! It's Sasuke!"

Suigetsu rolled his eyes. "I can see that! Sasuke, what the hell are _you_ doing down here?"

Sasuke glared. "I asked first. What the hell are you guys doing down here?"

Suigetsu raised his voice and inclined his head toward the Uchiha. "What are _you_ doing down here?"

"Oh, for gods sake!" Temari moved forward and interrupted the pathetic argument. "Answer the damn question before I shoot you."

Suigetsu, whose hands were still raised- just like Juugo- lowered them. "I aint intimated by that"

Juugo elbowed him again. "I don't think that's a good idea, Suigy."

"Shut up," he moved his hand lower and was about to reach into his pocket, but the five guns that were trained on him clicked and raised forward. "Whoa!" He exclaimed, raising his hands again and chuckling nervously. "Now that's intimating!"

Juugo spoke up. "It's my fault."

Suigetsu nodded his head. "Yeah, it's his fault."

"When we got back-"

"After the tour of the most awesomeness band ever!" Suigetsu interrupted.

Juugo continued as though he wasn't interrupted. "-I went home and saw that somebody had trespassed."

"Yeah," Suigetsu locked his pale-colored eyes with Sasuke's dark ones. "Juugo freaked. You know how he gets, Sasuke. I couldn't stop him!"

"I followed the trail."

"Dude wanted revenge! He said that somebody slept in his bed and someone ate my freakin' tim tamz!" Suigetsu bellowed.

Shikamaru stepped forward and he made a gesture with his hand that made everyone lower their weapons. Suigetsu sighed in relief and both him and Juugo lowered their hands as well. "Followed the trail?" He lifted an unbelieving eyebrow. "We are a mile away from that house, and even more than a mile deep in these tunnels…How the hell could you track anybody in this maze? You two don't even have flashlights."

Suigetsu shrugged and jabbed a thumb toward Juugo. "Juugo is a good tracker. Plus, he's relentless when he's in one of his moods." He moved a strand of his bleached-white hair out of his face. "So it was you guys who trespassed," he concluded. He looked at Sasuke again. "Who the fuck are they?"

"They are," Sasuke paused, "my friends." He then turned toward Juugo. "I'm sorry for trespassing but we needed somewhere to stay."

Juugo nodded his head vigorously. "If it's you Sasuke- then it's alright."

Suigetsu agreed. "I'm actually relieved. These tunnels are something else and I didn't know who or what we would find. I'm glad it just turned out to be you. I really didn't feel like cleaning up after another one of Juugo's rampages."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "You didn't have any trouble on your tour, did you? Since I'm the only one who can properly control him.'

"Nothing I couldn't handle." Suigetsu answered vaguely.

"Sasuke," Naruto said earnestly, "we can't afford to drag two more civilians into this."

"I agree." Temari snapped. "I don't have time to baby-sit. Send them back to wherever they came from, Uchiha."

"Hey!" Suigetsu shouted. "Don't talk like we can't hear you! You'll hurt Juugo's feelings. Sasuke, what the hell is going on?" His eyes suddenly widened. "Holy fuck…You're not being kidnapped are you! They've probably had you at gunpoint this whole time! Juugo, Attack!"

The large man, who easily towered even Naruto's six-foot frame, was about to lunge forward before Sasuke advanced. "Don't be ridiculous, Suigetsu," he hissed. Juugo still looked poised to attack and Sasuke had to snap his fingers to get the fiery eyes back into a docile gaze. "Stand down," he ordered. Juugo nodded and relaxed.

"Suigetsu," Sasuke spoke, "take Juugo and go back the way you came."

"But-"

"Now."

Suigetsu sighed. "Fine!" He then huffed. "I can tell when I'm not wanted. Come on, Juugo." He suddenly paused and then pointed a finger at everyone in the group. "I just want to know…Which one of you ass-wads ate my Tim Tamz?"

Naruto frowned. "Tim Tamz?"

"Yeah…You know, Tim Tamz…" Suigetsu searched for the right words. "It's a chocolate cookie with a layer of chocolate between them- then layered with syrupy chocolate…Tim Tamz! I had a box inside one of Juugo's cupboards- and now they're gone! Which one of you ate them?"

Without a word, Sasuke, Naruto, Temari, and Shikamaru turned toward Gaara. The redhead blinked. "Oh, I suppose it was me…"

Suigetsu narrowed his eyes. "You owe me! Those were mine and I want-" He broke himself off when he noticed that the gun that was in Gaara's grip raised ever so slightly. "I mean…" he chuckled. "Never mind…I'm glad you ate them."

"Empty your pockets," Gaara suddenly demanded.

"Wha?" Suigetsu asked nervously.

"Empty your pockets." Gaara repeated. "Earlier, you were reaching for something. What was it?"

When Suigetsu didn't act fast enough, Gaara strode forward and reached into the jacket pocket himself. He pulled out a bloody rag. "Oh, that. I found that in Juugo's bathroom sink. We wanted to know who it was from." Suigetsu leaned left to look past Gaara to Sasuke. "You're not hurt are you, Sasuke?"

Sasuke shook his head. "No, that's from cleaning Naruto's wound."

Before Suigetsu could stop him, Gaara was already patting him down, searching for any kind of weapon. Gaara noticeably paused, lifted an eyebrow, and reached into the inner jacket pocket. He pulled out a caramel nut chocolate bar. "An energy snack." Suigetsu explained. "I never know how long Juugo's rampages might last." When he noticed that Gaara wasn't making any move to give it back, he tried to snatch it. "Hey, that's min- I mean, you can have it."

Gaara opened it and chewed contently.

Sasuke- who like everyone else was memorized by the scene- snapped out of it. "Enough. Suigetsu, Juugo, get out of here."

"Wait," Shikamaru locked his gaze with Juugo's. "We are trying to find somebody in these tunnels. Could you track him down for us?"

"Shikamaru!" Temari hissed. "We can't endanger these strangers."

"I know," Shikamaru replied, "but we need the help. It'll be faster this way. If this guy was able to track us this far into the tunnels,…then I think it's worth it." Shikamaru still held Juugo's gaze. "Could you do it?"

Juugo shrugged his massive shoulders. " I can do it. But only if Sasuke wants me to."

Sasuke felt Shikamaru's and everyone else's gaze on the back of his head. He clicked his tongue in annoyance. "We have already wasted enough time standing around here and talking." He paused. "Fine. I agree with Shikamaru. It'll be faster with Juugo's help."

Temari groaned and Naruto didn't blame her. Suigetsu and Juugo looked like they would cause more trouble then help.

…

"This is goddamn ridiculous. I'm freakin' bored out of my mind!"

"Shut your mouth, Deidara."

"You shut your mouth, Kisame. I wasn't talking to you!"

"Both of you shut up. I'm trying to pray and not kill you all where you stand."

"That wouldn't include me, now would it?"

"Nhaa, I actually like you, Sasori."

Sasori, a redhead that looked way too young for his age, nodded his approval and watched as Hidan went back to praying.

Hidan, his hands holding a necklace with an unrecognizable religious symbol, lowered his face into his hands and muttered words that nobody in the room wanted, or even tried, to understand.

"Would you stop that!" Deidara snapped at the praying man. "It makes me freakin' uncomfortable."

"I actually agree with you for once." Kisame responded. His abnormal, blue-colored skin and hair making him stand out. Especially when he was standing upright and his nearly seven-foot-frame taking up the small space they were all in.

Deidara, with his canary-blond-hair covering half his face, turned to Kisame in annoyance. "Again…I wasn't talking to you."

Kisame shrugged, not really wanting to argue with Deidara anymore. "How long have we been here?"

"Four hours, seventeen minutes, twenty-six seconds…" Sasori answered, his position on the floor making him look up. "That is if you mean _after _Orochimaru left."

"And why did Orochimaru leave?" Deidara asked, pushing off the wall. "Why the hell do we have to wait in these freakin' tunnels?"

"I always knew you were stupid." Kisame muttered under his breath.

"What!"

"Orochimaru wants us to intercept Naruto and Itachi's younger brother." Sasori answered, interrupting Deidara before he went off in an unstoppable string of profanities.

Deidara huffed and sent a glare at Kisame, and then turned away to ask Sasori a question. "We're to take the Uchiha kid alive, right?"

"Really stupid." Kisame muttered again.

"Correct. As for Naruto,- Orochimaru said he can be exterminated."

"I thought Orochimaru wanted another crack at him?" Kisame asked curiously.

Sasori did a one-shoulder shrug. "He said that Naruto was too much trouble. Plus, he has Itachi now. That's who he was really after."

"Then why are we to deliver the little brother? And if you call me stupid again, Kisame, I swear to god- no, to Hidan's freaky god, that I will kill you."

Kisame grinned, a roll of pointy teeth showing.

"We are to deliver the younger brother so that Orochimaru can kill him in front of Itachi."

"Orochimaru sure is something else…" Deidara whispered to himself and went back to leaning against the wall.

Kisame grunted, folding his arms across his chest. "…How long has it been now?"

"Four hours, twenty minutes, and fifteen seconds…" Sasori automatically replied.

Hidan, who was still kneeling, continued praying for a successful mission.

-End of Chapter 19-

A/N: Thanks for reading, favoriting, alerting, donating, and reviewing!


	21. Chapter 20

Time to Protect, Time to Kill

Chapter 20

A/N: Did anybody realize that I didn't even mention Kakashi in the last chapter! He totally disappeared! So now to make up to poor Kakashi, here's a special Flashback.

And Gaara just got a very generous donation! He practically fainted at the sight! A million cookies, five hundred pizzas, twelve brownies, and thirty-two mangos! Gaara says, 'Nice touch with the Mangos!' Thanks goes to Laughing Senseless! Thank you!

Now, onward with Chapter Twenty!

…

- Flashback -

A thirteen year old Uchiha Sasuke stared blankly at the man before him. He took note that the man had different colored eyes. One of them gray and the other a startling crimson color. The man also had silver gravity-defying hair, and was wearing a half-face, blue ski-mask. How could this strange man have ever been a friend of his father's?

And now this man was his guardian…

"Sasuke," The man said, "My name is Hatake Kakashi. You will be staying with me for awhile."

Sasuke didn't reply. For the next six months he rarely spoke with Kakashi, most of the time he didn't acknowledge the others existence. It was the aftermath of his parents death, by the hand of his brother no less, and Sasuke hasn't reacted. Sometimes he believed that it, that all this, was just a dream- that he would wake up and find that his family was still alive. But then…he would wake up, covered in sweat, and realize that the nightmare was reality. The unknown walls of his new room in Kakashi's house was a horrible reminder.

It was on one particular difficult day, the images of his dead parents no longer assaulting his dreams- but now were beginning to materialize in waking dreams- where his dry eyes began to water.

Sasuke didn't realize it at first, but there was a presence behind him. It was Kakashi. His presence wasn't invading or awkward, nothing like Sasuke first assumed it'd be. …It was relieving. He wasn't alone. The presence was strong; It was caring but not suffocating. "It's okay, Sasuke." Kakashi whispered Sasuke felt a heavy hand on his shoulder and found that it was an anchor. An anchor that he desperately needed and didn't know he had.

Two days passed and then Kakashi abruptly cleared out the guest room and pulled Sasuke inside. He forced the young teen to sit cross-legged on the carpeted floor in the middle of the bland room. Kakashi sat down across from him and gave Sasuke a pointed look. "Your mind is in chaos… and your soul isn't at ease."

Sasuke didn't look away. Didn't say anything.

Kakashi's gaze softened. "I will teach you how to get that center of calm back in your life, Sasuke. Without it…you can't live."

"Center of calm?"

Kakashi didn't realize how tense he was until Sasuke finally spoke and he felt as though a weight was lifted off his shoulders. "Yes, Sasuke." Kakashi gave a small smile. "It will be difficult, and it may take longer than you would like…but once you find your center of calm- whenever you're in turmoil, whenever you feel as though you're falling…just find your center of calm and jump into it."

Sasuke took a large breath. He wanted that center of calm. He didn't want to feel haunted by memories and images any longer. "Can…can you really teach me?" Sasuke asked, his dark eyes finally showing a light that had once died.

Kakashi's voice was unyielding. "Yes I can, and yes I will."

…End of Flashback…

The wound on Naruto's shoulder was starting to hurt. Before, it was nicely numb but now spikes of pain started to travel down his arm. Naruto frowned, maybe it was a bad sign… Something was going to happen soon. He could feel it in the air, touching the fine hairs on his arms, and brushing the back of his neck.

Beside him he saw Gaara quicken his step. The redhead casting him a meaningful glance. It seemed like Naruto wasn't the only one then.

…

Shikamaru couldn't keep his astonishment from showing on his face. Juugo was kneeling down, one of his large hands touching the cold pavement of the tunnel floor. "Four men passed through this tunnel…" Juugo spoke with confidence. "And through this tunnel…" he pointed down the adjacent tunnel, "Three men went."

"So they divided up and went separate ways." Shikamaru concluded, still amazed on how good a tracker Juugo was. "Which tunnel should we choose?" he asked aloud to nobody in particular.

Temari spoke up this time. "We should divide into two groups and go though both tunnels. Me, Gaara, and Kakashi can take the left; and you, Naruto, Sasuke, can take the right."

Kakashi took a step forward, his head shaking in the negative. "We shouldn't separate. It's true that we must find Itachi as soon as possible, but right now we should focus on keeping Sasuke in our custody. If they take Sasuke- then they will have both Uchiha brothers…and that is unacceptable."

Shikamaru nodded in agreement. "If we separated and one of us got into some trouble- we have no way to contact for back up. These tunnels block any type of communication."

Temari was noticeably aggravated but she concurred. "So which tunnel do we go through?"

…

Sasuke was standing with Suigetsu. They were just out of earshot of Shikamaru and the others. On the other side, Naruto and Gaara were standing and talking just out of earshot as well. "They won't tell me anything…" Sasuke hissed through his teeth. "I don't like being kept in the dark."

Suigetsu barked out a laugh. "_You_ don't like it? Ha! I'm the one who doesn't have a fucking _clue_ on what's going on!" Suigetsu shook his head in annoyance. "I just wanted to sleep, to take a nice long nap, and then Juugo goes off on a tunnel-roaming-rampage. I'm shit-ass hungry as well. That raccoon-looking asshole stole my last energy bar! Fuckin- oops." Suigetsu stopped talking when Gaara shifted his feet and glanced at Suigetsu ever so slightly. The bleach-head took cover behind Sasuke and cursed. "That redhead freaks me out," he whispered.

Sasuke couldn't help but smirk in amusement. If Suigetsu was anything- he was a tension breaker.

…

Back up front, Shikamaru and the others decided to go through the left tunnel, where Juugo predicted four men went down. The brunet called out to Naruto and Gaara that they were now on the move. Shikamaru and Temari moved side by side, moving down the tunnel first. Naruto behind them, Sasuke at his side. Kakashi and Gaara held up the rear, as well as keeping an eye on the two civilians, Juugo and Suigetsu.

Five minutes passed, their steady stride unbroken until they came across a lit section of the tunnels.

"Thank God!" Suigetsu cried. "I was fed up with the darkness. Finally some good 'ol light!"

Temari hushed him. "Shut it, civilian! Do you want to get us all killed!"

Shikamaru spoke next, his words quiet but with authority. "Everybody shut up." He looked up. "There are small circler lights on the ceiling. They seem to be old but it's no question that this portion of the tunnels were once occupied." The small lights bathed the tunnel walls, the dampness of the walls and the roughness of the floor visible enough for Shikamaru to turn off his flashlight, the others in the group followed suit.

Shikamaru pulled out his schematic pad and looked down at it. He felt Temari hover over his shoulder. "The tunnels get wider and it curves right, there's also a small open cavity up ahead."

"We should dump the civilians and continue forward." Temari replied, her tone of voice holding influence, reminding Shikamaru that she was the current SAND representative. He agreed and he watched as she moved toward the back and personally talked with Suigetsu and Juugo. Words were exchanged and he couldn't withhold a smile when Temari let a fist fly that connected with Suigetsu's jaw. Suigetsu was about to retaliate but he was held back by the big guy, Juugo. A second later, a grinning Temari made her way back to Shikamaru's side. "Done," was all she said.

The brunet started forward again, Temari still at his side; Kakashi, Gaara, Naruto and Sasuke following behind. Juugo and Suigetsu presumably making their way back to the surface. They went far enough ahead to start recognizing that the tunnels were indeed becoming wider. When they rounded the corner a sound of a gunshot made itself known by the searing heat sinking into the side of Shikamaru's arm. Shikamaru dropped his gun, instantly cradling his injured arm, as he felt himself being pushed aside by Temari.

Temari was using her body to shield Shikamaru and she fired off her gun until it was empty. His eyes watched as Naruto and the others took shelter. It was only after Temari settled herself beside Shikamaru, onto the floor, when he realized that she was shot too.

Gaara made his way toward them. "Where are you hurt?" he asked.

Shikamaru waved him off. "It's just my arm. Temari-"

Temari cut him off. "I'm fine." She snapped, shaking her head, blond locks of hair falling loose.

Some feet behind them they heard Naruto curse. The blond held his gun with one hand as his other pressed Sasuke against the wall. "It's an ambush."

…

Sasori, his expression blank but somehow thoughtful, stepped back and ejected the empty clip from his gun. "I think I got two of them."

Deidara sneered. "Fuck ass. What if you shot the little-brother-Uchiha, huh?"

Sasori rolled his shoulders. "Highly unlikely."

The canary-blond sneered again and moved to stand in front of the redhead. "My turn!"

The words barely left Deidara's mouth when he found that _he_ was being pushed aside by the giant named Kisame. "I don't think so canary-brain," he rumbled in a deep voice. Deidara was about to complain but one look at Kisame halted the words.

Kisame's blue-skin made him look sickly in the dim light and his wide grin made him look murderous. Deidara automatically sensed that if he wanted to live, he should do as he was told. With folded arms, Deidara moved aside and watched as the Goliath pulled out a small bludgeon.

"I'm going to rush them," Kisame said, his voice getting deeper. "Force them into close quarters combat." He let out a disgusted breath, "I detest guns." He then grinned a grin that made him look like pure evil. "Guns take the fun out of everything."

Deidara watched as Kisame strolled out into the open space and approach the tunnel that held the KAGE and SAND agents. He actually found that he felt sorry for them. "Glad I'm not at the end of that club." The blond mumbled softly.

…

"Holy shit…" Naruto cursed, his blue-eyes wide. "That's Kisame Hoshigaki… The fuckin' Demon Shark!"

"Gaara," Kakashi's voice was calm, "you look after Shikamaru and Temari." Kakashi then turned his multi-colored eyes toward the huddled forms of Naruto and Sasuke. "Naruto, don't let your guard down."

The blond-haired agent nodded, looked beyond the tunnel corner and saw that the Demon-Shark was still approaching. He aimed his gun and fired off two shots. Either Naruto missed, which was doubtful or the Demon-Shark was immune to bullets. Naruto groaned. "I forgot my silver bullets at home."

Kakashi released a chuckle and then pulled out a short blade that was concealed in his vest jacket. "He wants a hand-to-hand confrontation."

"Be careful." Kakashi looked mildly shocked by Sasuke's statement. The raven nodded his head and Kakashi smiled.

"Here goes," was Kakashi's parting words as he walked out to meet Kisame halfway.

…

"Hatake Kakashi," Kisame said around his grin. "It's been awhile."

"It's been over ten years."

"Alright,… then it's been a long time. How's it goin'?"

Kakashi shrugged. "Well, you know…I retired…I'm back…" Kakashi smiled through his mask. "And now I'm here to kick your ass."

Kisame bellowed out a laugh that seemed to quake the tunnel walls. "You've must've been hangin' with that Killer Bee too long!" He laughed again and the bludgeon that he held in one hand slapped against the palm of the other. He then cleared his throat and gave Kakashi a wink. "You ready?"

The KAGE agent took a stance. "Ready."

Before the word was fully out of Kakashi's mouth the bludgeon slammed down and the silver-head sidestepped it before it cracked his skull in half. Kakashi jabbed his blade toward Kisame's side but the bludgeon was swiped over to parry it. They jumped apart, putting little space between them that was easily conquered by the Demon-Shark's reach. He thrust his blunt weapon into Kakashi's gut. Kakashi was momentarily winded but he focused on moving. He stepped to the side, Kisame following the movement as they circled each other.

"Gettin' kinda rusty, aren't ya?"

Kakashi said nothing as Kisame slammed his club down again.

The blow nicked Kakashi's shoulder. Kisame must of thought that was enough, because he stilled for a moment and Kakashi used that moment to swipe his blade across the giant's chest.

_Might as well try to etch your name on a stone wall_, Kakashi thought as he withdrew his blade and went back into a defensive posture. There was barely a trace of blood on the tip but Kakashi took strength from that. _I have to aim for his throat, or at least his thigh to immobilize him._ Kakashi mentally prepared himself to inflict either option and to do it fast. One wrong move, one hit from that bludgeon, and Kakashi knew it would be all over.

…

Gaara and Shikamaru took up both sides of Temari and they helped her walk. She hissed in pain, grabbing both their shoulders in firm grips as she forced one foot before the other. They went back down the tunnel, going only a dozen or so steps, slowly and rigorously. Once they felt they were out of the immediate danger they laid the SAND representative down onto the cold tunnel floor.

Shikamaru tore off his sleeve and wrapped it around his wound with a grunt. "Stupid women." He hissed at Temari whose breathing was becoming shallow. "You got shot because of me."

On the ground, Temari smiled and choked on a laugh. "D-Don't flatter yourself." Her smile dropped. "I got shot, then that's what h-happened- I got shot."

Gaara, at the other side of her, looked down and removed Temari's blood-soaked hand from the gunshot wound on her chest. He examined the wound. It looked bad, there was already too much blood. Gaara's hand, which was holding Temari's, tighten unconsciously into a fist.

She coughed. "Don't make that face," she said to Gaara.

He squeezed her hand again, "What face?"

"The one that says I'm going to die."

Shikamaru spoke up this time. His body slightly leaning over Temari's. "You're not going to die. We'll get you out of here and get you some help." He pushed off the ground and found his bag- tying it onto his shoulder. "Gaara, help me pick her up."

They worked together to help Temari to her feet where she gave a cry of pain.

"We're going to get out of here." Shikamaru said firmly, his hand around her waist and hers' around his neck.

Before they disappeared down the tunnel Gaara made sure to express what he couldn't in words into his eyes. Temari smiled and gave an encouraging nod of her head.

…

Naruto and Sasuke watched as Kakashi and Kisame clashed. Kisame was a massive man, he took up most of the space of the small opening. Kakashi was much leaner and faster. The silver-haired agent moved quickly, dodging the powerful, but quick thrusts of the bludgeon.

The way the wind whistled around the club let them know that any blow that landed would be bone-shattering. But Kakashi's calm demeanor and agile movement let him have the upper hand.

Naruto couldn't tear his eyes away from the sight. In the world of Agents, Kakashi was practically a living legend. He had never seen Hatake Kakashi in action before and he hoped that it wouldn't be the last.

The bludgeon crashed down onto Kakashi's shoulder. The Agent collapsed toward the ground and was now kneeling. Kisame was about to slam his club down again, but Kakashi strategically rolled to the side and punctured his blade into the giant's thigh.

Kakashi withdrew his blade and rolled again, slicing his blade into the sensitive meat again and again. But the Demon-Shark just kept on coming…

Naruto and Sasuke both averted their eyes when they heard someone come up from behind. It was Gaara. One look at the redhead's face and Naruto knew that it wasn't good.

"How does it look?" Naruto asked, not really knowing what else to say but needing to say it anyway.

The redhead looked down at his blood-covered hand. "Shikamaru's retreating with Temari… They're going to find some help." He said, not directly, but indirectly answering the question.

Naruto nodded in understanding. "I'm sure she'll be okay, Gaara."

Before Naruto's words had a chance to settle, Sasuke gathered their attention. "Someone's coming out." He said, pointing out into the clearing where Kisame and Kakashi were still fighting.

They turned to see a small redhead stepping forward with the intent to join the fight. Naruto was about to stand up, but Gaara's hand on his shoulder stilled him. "You stay here with Sasuke."

Naruto didn't try to argue. He locked his blue-eyes with Gaara's sea-green and conveyed the strength that the redhead needed.

…

Sasori had enough of waiting. He hated waiting. He had to wait for the KAGE Agents to show up in the first place. Now that they were actually here, now he was forced to wait as Kisame fought …It didn't help that Deidara was continually talking into his ear.

Sasori watched as Kisame swung his club time and time again, hitting nothing but air. He could tell that the Demon-Shark was getting frustrated. His swings were getting messier and Kakashi was using his blade to pierce at his skin at precise locations that would soon have the Demon-Shark on his knees.

Finally, Kakashi's blade got a little too close to Kisame neck. Sasori decided that it was time to intervene. He knew that Kisame would probably kill him later for it. But he just hated waiting. Without sparing Deidara a word, he stepped forward and slowly made his way toward the two clashing forces. He knew that Deidara wouldn't follow him. That canary-head was too scared of Kisame to do something like interrupt his fight.

However, there was still Hidan, but that guy was busy praying. That religious symbol still dangling from his hand while he held his weapon, a triple-bladed scythe, closely to his chest. Sasori had no idea when he'd join the fight, but when he did- there will be blood.

With each step forward, Sasori reached a hand behind and slowly pulled out his Japanese steel sword. He was looking for an opening to strike at Kakashi but that opening never came. Instead Sasori found himself looking at a fellow redhead. "SAND?" Sasori asked, intrigued. He himself was once part of SAND before he went off to join Orochimaru's Underground. Gaara didn't reply, instead he reached down into a hidden pocket and pulled out a roll of wire. Sasori lifted an eyebrow. "My sword will cut right through that."

Gaara lifted up his own eyebrow. "We'll see."

Sasori wasted no time in bringing his sword down.

Using the wire that was spread between his hands, Gaara caught the sword and twisted harshly, dislodging the weapon from Sasori's grip abruptly.

Sasori was caught off balance and Gaara wasted no time in pulling out a concealed throwing knife and jamming it directly into Sasori's gullet. Sasori went wide-eyed, and blood spurted outward. Before he collapsed on the floor, Gaara spoke: "That was for my sister."

…

Naruto had seen Gaara's ruthless side many times before. He was not surprised by the speed or the mercilessness. Beside him he saw Sasuke's eyes harden and he wondered what the Uchiha was thinking. With Gaara's fight concluded, Kakashi's fight became the center of attention once again.

Kakashi was still slashing his blade across Kisame skin wherever he could reach. Neither one of them seemed to back down no matter how many hits were landed.

Naruto's blue-eyes saw Gaara turn his back to Sasori's body and face the dueling duo with the intent to intervene. But what Gaara didn't see was that another one of Orochimaru's goons were making their way out of the far tunnel.

"No matter what happens…don't leave this tunnel." Naruto said in a low voice. The blond sprinted out of the tunnel to tackle the figure before it descended on Gaara. He couldn't use his gun in such a restricting space. He didn't want to accidentally hit a fellow agent or for the bullets to ricochet hazardously.

…

Hidan finished his prayer with a sigh of pleasure. The necklace that he held between his fingers felt nice and heavy. He was ready to serve. He was ready to fight. He smoothed his shoulder-length-gray hair back with grace, a smile on his lips as he heard the sound of fighting nearby.

"Glad to see you up and around." Deidara declared. The canary-blond was fumbling with a large piece of clay, cutting it down into large chucks with ease.

"C4?" Hidan asked.

Deidara sneered. "Of course it's C4, ya idiot." He continued to press small explosives into the clay and he tagged it onto the wall on either side of the tunnel. "Once we get the little-brother-Uchiha, I'm blowing the tunnels for our getaway."

Hidan grinned. "How exciting!"

Deidara glanced at him. "Is that supposed to be sarcasm? You asshole, explosions are my specialty. It's my freakin' art! You-"

"Whoa!" Hidan cut in. "It wasn't sarcasm." He snickered. "Bein' a little touchy, aren't ya?"

Deidara flushed. "Fuck you!"

Hidan snickered again and he peered through the tunnel into the small opening where the fighting was continuing. "Hmm, it looks like Sasori was defeated." He said plainly. "That's too bad. I actually liked him."

Deidara balked. "What! Oh, shit…"

Hidan rolled his shoulders, mentally preparing himself. "I think I'll make my appearance now. I'll keep them occupied and you should go around planting your explosives…"

"I know what the fuck to do!"

"…When you see an opportunity, grab the brother-Uchiha and blow the tunnels."

Deidara grumbled to himself. "Talking like I'm freakin' stupid…"

Hidan turned his back to Deidara, bringing his triple-bladed scythe up to his chest and tightening his grip around the smooth handle. "Party time."

-End of Chapter 20-


	22. Chapter 21

TTP,TTK

A/N: You guys are great! Awesome reviews and encouragement!

A/N: As for the Feed-The-Gaara Foundation. Laughing Senseless has made another enormous donation. Five billion chocolate chip muffins, four-hundred and seventy-eight pineapples, six gallons of apple cider, and one hundred sixty-two tier cakes…and a couple of grapes. Haha. Poor Gaara had to get his stomach pumped for over-eating. (I think the grapes did it.)

-Chapter 21-

…

Hidan turned his back to Deidara, bringing his triple-bladed scythe up to his chest and tightening his grip around the smooth handle. "Party time."

Each step was deliberate as he made his way to the center of the cavity where the two agents, Kakashi and Kisame, were fighting. They took up the small space like Titans, each clash sounded like thunder, bouncing off the tunnel's grimy walls that shook as though in fear.

Hidan's experienced eyes watched Kakashi's agile movements. His thin blade piercing Kisame's sickly blue skin and fine lines of red-red blood flowing from the wounds and dripping onto the tunnel floor. The dim lighting above didn't hinder Hindan's vision. The expression on Kakashi's face showed determination and Kisame's expression was one of anger.

Hidan shook his head, locks of ash-colored hair falling out of place, he knew that expression on Kisame's face. Soon the Shark-Demon will snap. Soon his movements will become sloppy and he will do something reckless that will leave an opening for Kakashi to deliver a killing blow.

Hidan concluded that he didn't care. None at all. If Kisame was a reckless oaf- then let him be. Instead he set his sights on the redheaded enemy. He stepped over his fallen comrade, Sasori, seeing that those green-eyes were still wide open in shock, as blood continued to spurt from his neck. He gave a quick prayer so that Sasori will find his way to the underworld and he gripped his weapon, intent on bringing it down on the unsuspecting SAND agent with all his force.

…

Naruto acted on instinct. All that he saw was that the enemy was about to attack Gaara- who had his back turned. It was unforgivable. In one part of his mind warning bells were ringing. Alarms that said that he shouldn't leave Sasuke unprotected… but he ignored them. Right then and there, Gaara was in danger and he couldn't disregard that.

The blond-haired agent ran out of the narrow tunnel and into the cavity. He passed Kakashi and Kisame without a thought, his blue-eyes trained on the silver-haired enemy. He saw that the enemy had a large weapon, to be precise- a triple-bladed scythe. The thing looked lethal. Naruto knew he couldn't stop it with his bare hands.

Laying not too far away Naruto spotted the samurai blade that Sasori had possessed. He rolled, his hand finding and gripping the hilt, pushing it outward to connect with the scythe and stopping it just inches from reaching Gaara's head.

Even though Naruto was able to block the attack, his arms vibrated from the strike, making him wince in pain and become momentarily immobile. Luckily Gaara became aware of what was happening and stopped the second attack, which was from the other end of Hidan's weapon- Something decidedly sharp that was attached to a long cable was headed straight for Naruto's neck and Gaara caught it within his palm.

Laughter suddenly blossomed from the silver-haired enemy. He looked absolutely happy, trilled. His eyes wide and pupils dilated. "More Blood!" He cried. Those wild eyes trained on Gaara's hand that was still holding the sharp edge that dug into his palm and where blood was trickling down onto the pavement.

Naruto snarled. He pushed the scythe away with the sword and the enemy took a step back. Hidan pulled on the cable and Gaara hissed in pain and released the sharp edge. "How exciting!"

Naruto glowered. "It that supposed to be sarcasm or something?"

Hidan barked out another laugh. "I guess that's the word of the day." Naruto raised his eyebrow in question but the silver-head didn't elaborate. Instead he took a stance, his lethal-looking scythe trained on the two agents.

…

When Sasuke had heard the gunshot….he had flinched. His reaction wasn't like that of Naruto and the others. They had schooled their faces, hunched their shoulders, and readied their guns. Sasuke knew the difference between trained and untrained, and regrettably- he was untrained.

He had no field experience. The only time he heard gunshots, or was the one firing a gun, was at a shooting range. He could feel his heart beating heavily in his chest. He felt Naruto pushing him against the wall. Across from him he saw Shikamaru and Temari collapse onto the floor. Blood flowing from gunshot wounds onto the damp ground.

He was paralyzed. Memories of long ago, when he found his parents unmoving blood-soaked bodies, came flashing back. He felt so out of his element. Something that he once thought wasn't possible. Not anymore. He had made himself strong- or so he thought. He shook his head. Somehow he had to find his center of calm…and he did.

He held on to it and drew strength from it. He didn't want to be afraid. He couldn't afford to be afraid. He took his fear and uncertainty and turned it into something useful. His dark-eyes watched as Kakashi stood up. His typical demeanor making Sasuke feel at ease. He pulled a blade out of his vest- he was about to engage the enemy who was called the Demon-Shark.

"Be careful," Sasuke had told him, and he meant it. He watched Kakashi proceed into mortal combat. The way that Kakashi faced his enemy without hesitance and apprehension. He had always known that Kakashi was more than he seemed, and even now Sasuke knew that he wasn't seeing everything.

From the corner of his vision he knew that Gaara took the injured Shikamaru and Temari away into safety. Again, he found that Naruto's presence was reassuring. He was, after all, his bodyguard. They didn't talk. Simply being near one another was enough. They focused on the here and now. The weight of the atmosphere, the tension of battle- touching their skin and grinding into their bones.

Within no time, it was Gaara's turn to engage into battle. Gaara was fast and merciless. Sasuke could feel his eyes harden at the sight but he said nothing. When Gaara's fight concluded, he made a fatal mistake- he turned his back to a tunnel's entrance.

From beside him he could feel Naruto's muscles tense. The blond-haired agent had realized the mistake also. It came to no surprise when Naruto said, "No matter what happens…don't leave this tunnel." Naruto sprinted out of the tunnel to tackle the figure before it descended on Gaara.

Sasuke was left feeling angry. As many times before, it seemed that Naruto was leaving him behind. As though he was incapable of contributing. He felt his hands fist and he looked down at them. Suddenly, something caught his sight. It was the luster of a gun.

His eyes widened in realization. It was the same gun that Shikamaru had dropped when he had gotten shot. Before he knew it, he was already grasping the handle. The gun feeling heavy but heartening. He checked the safety, the clip, and the chamber. By the time he looked up he was face-to-face with a man with dull-blue-colored eyes and canary-yellow hair.

"Hello, Little-Brother-Uchiha," he chirp around his grin.

Sasuke's nerves jumped. His grip tightened around the handle of the gun and he was about to whirl around and point it at the enemy.

"No, no." The canary-blond said. "Don't move or I kill you, yeah."

Sasuke didn't move, the gun was feeling heavier in his hands, he scoffed. "You can't kill me. I'm needed alive." Sasuke was glad that his voice sounded condescending, he couldn't afford to show any weakness.

The canary-head barked out a laugh. "I guess so." He then pointed his weapon toward Naruto's direction. Naruto's back was turned and he was occupied in battle. "Then I'll kill him. Just put the gun down and nobody gets hurt, aye?"

The gun in his hands now felt like it weighed a ton. He went through every scenario in his mind and none of them looked good. He had no choice but to lay the gun down. And so he did. He figured that if he could turn this encounter into a hand-to-hand fight he would have a chance.

But he never got to. The butt of the enemy's gun hit the back of his head and darkness engulfed his vision. His last thought was that Naruto was a lousy bodyguard.

…

Deidara holstered his gun with a grin as he looked down at the unconscious Uchiha Sasuke. "Easier than I thought, " he chuckled. But of course- he had had the advantage. He had snuck up on the Uchiha and had gotten him off-balance. Nonetheless, it was his win and one of the objectives was now complete. "I need to hurry and tag these tunnels…" Deidara mumbled to himself.

He fumbled with the C4 and tagged the walls successfully. He glanced over to see Hidan taking on the two agents with ease. That man could probably level an army if he wished to. But Hidan liked to play with his prey. To take his time and draw blood to offer his so-called-God. It was pretty scary actually.

With a grunt Deidara lifted Sasuke and draped him over his shoulder. In his right hand the detonator rested peacefully and he looked at it with glee. "This will be my one of my greatest masterpieces!"

…

Shikamaru swallowed a breath. His arm instinctually tightening around Temari when she sagged against him even further. Temari breathed a whisper. "Can't…I can't walk anymore…"

Her knees collapsed and Shikamaru eased her onto the floor as gently as he could. "We need to keep going," he urged.

She wrapped an arm around her midsection where blood was still apparent. "I've…lost to much blood." She said, her eye-lids feeling so heavy.

Shikamaru scowled at her. "Don't you fall asleep on me, Temari!"

She suddenly laughed. Her laughter short and broken, sending painful jolts through her body.

"What the hell you laughing about?" Shikamaru asked, sitting down on the floor alongside her and giving her a questioning look.

Temari shook her head to dismiss the question. Her teal-colored eyes turning down to examine her wounds.

Shikamaru sighed. "Whatever. We'll rest here for a minute."

Several minutes passed in silence. Temari trying to control her breathing and Shikamaru growing restless. Unexpectedly, Temari spoke. " So…Have you ever had any feeling for me?"

Shikamaru automatically rolled his head back and released a sigh. "Why the hell are you bringing up something like that?"

Temari tried to shrug but winched from the pain. "Consider it my last wish."

Shikamaru was staring at the ceiling. "Last wish is only when you are going to die."

Temari coughed, tasting blood in her mouth. "Just…Just answer the fucking question, you delaying jackass."

A moment of silence passed. Shikamaru still staring at the ceiling. "You know," he began to say in an indescribable tone of voice. "On all the missions we've been on together, one of us always ends up getting shot. Did you notice that?"

Temari laughed. "You're right! Shit. Bad luck must follow us when we're together."

Shikamaru smiled. "Must be…but we always make it through." He paused. "You cuss and call me a jackass…bullets and life threatening situations…bad luck on our tail…" He faced her, "but surprisingly I'm fine with that."

The corners of Temari's mouth tilted upward and she watched as Shikamaru stood up. He adjusted the bag on his shoulder and then bent down to help Temari pull herself up. She leaned her tired body against him and they began to walk once again. "I'm taking that as a 'yes,' just so you know." She informed him.

He sighed, the action not genuine. "Troublesome woman." The smile sounding in his voice and their haggard footsteps echoing through the damp tunnels.

…

Deidara gave no warning when he blew the tunnels. Hidan was busy having fun. The blond-haired agent and red-headed agent before him were skilled. He could see it in their movements and in their eyes. He knew that the blond-haired agent wanted to retreat- to return to the Youngest-Brother-Uchiha's side- but he kept him at bay. No retreat for the enemy. That wasn't acceptable. After all, his scythe demanded blood.

From the corner of his eye he saw Kakashi deliver a death blow to Kisame. Served the Demon-Shark right, he wasn't worthy. But Hidan did take delight when he saw the red-red blood flow like small rivers on the floor.

The sight was enough to derail the attention of the agents before him. Such folly. His scythe yearned for blood and he answered the call. He brought the triple-bladed scythe down without mercy. The sharp edges digging into the flesh of the blond-haired agent that he knew was named Uzumaki Naruto.

…

Naruto cried out in pain and shock. His hands automatically loosening around the hilt of the samurai sword, causing it to clatter loudly onto the ground. Gaara, who was closely beside him, took an advancing step forward. Hidan swung the cable that he kept tightly bound to the end of his scythe. The cable wound around Gaara's arm, the sharp edge digging painfully into his shoulder.

The red-head grunted and his sea-colored eyes watched as Hidan threw his head back and laughed. Now! He grabbed Naruto's fallen sword and with one thrust he impaled the center of Hidan's chest. Before he could relish in his victory however…a booming explosion erupted.

Gaara only had enough time to pull Naruto away. The sharpness of the triple-bladed-scythe making it difficult and making Naruto's injury even more sever. The blond groaned in pain and let himself be led away by Gaara.

His blue-colored eyes could barely see through the cloud of dust that the explosion had produced. "Sasuke…" he called out. "Where's Sasuke!"

Gaara saw. He saw that Sasuke was draped over an enemy's shoulder and was being carried away. He could do nothing to stop it.

"Sasuke!" Naruto exclaimed.

Another explosion rocked the tunnels and caused debris to fall down on them. He caught sight of a large portion of the tunnel ceiling collapsing on Kakashi. Again, he could do nothing. Most dust, more debris befell them. A fragment of cement crashed on the top of Naruto's head, affectedly knocking him out.

Gaara continued to drag Naruto further into the nearest tunnel, which was regrettably the opposite of the one Sasuke had disappeared into. Just when he thought it was over, one more explosion went off. Thankfully it wasn't as powerful as the rest. But it was still able to make Gaara stumble. He fell onto the ground, Naruto alongside him, and faded into unconsciousness.

…

Temari had fallen asleep. Shikamaru had done all that he could to keep her awake but it was no good. She was deadweight as he carried her on his back. He held her legs around his waist and her arms were dangling over his shoulder. He could still feel her breathe against his neck and he took comfort from that.

There was an exit to the tunnels not too far away. As soon as they broke the surface, Shikamaru will call for an emergency medic. She had to live. There was no question in it. At least,… that was what he had believed five minutes ago. It was amazing how much time five minutes actually was. Just how much that could happen within that time span.

Temari's breathing was becoming alarmingly shallow. Her body was slightly vibrating and she was drenched in sweat. _No_, was all Shikamaru could think. _No, no_. He continued to tread through the passageway. The once dim lighting was gone and Shikamaru couldn't keep a grip on a flashlight- so he walked in shear darkness.

No, no.

His footsteps felt heavy. As though his boots were covered in lead. He was exhausted. The gunshot wound on his arm ached and ached. Temari…she was beginning to shake more harshly.

No, no.

His knees wavered. All he saw was darkness. The silence seemed sinister and inhospitable but he could still feel the low, low beating of Temari's heart sounding through his back. Even though it was subdued and muted.

No, no.

He couldn't go on. Shikamaru collapsed. His knees and the palms of his hands hitting the ground violently.

No, no!

He wanted to punch the ground in anger…He wanted to scream in frustration…He wanted to cry.

And then…there it was…light!

Before he knew it, Shikamaru found himself surround by bright beams of light. Flashlights!

"KAGE!" Some unknown voice called out.

It took only a second for Shikamaru to realize he wasn't dreaming. "Yes!" He replied. "We need medical attention!"

Agents encircled him. He didn't personally know them but he knew that they were allies. "We were told that you may need backup."

"How…How did you find us?"

The agent answered, "Lee gave us directions."

Temari was taken off of Shikamaru's back and was being carried out of the tunnels.

"Don't worry," the agent said, "we have a medical team outside. She'll live."

Shikamaru felt his once tense body slack. He pressed his forehead to the cool ground. He closed his eyes in relief and his last thought before he fell into a dreamless sleep was that he owed that Green Smurf a great big sloppy kiss.

…

Itachi wondered just how insane a person must be to get used to such torture and cruelty. Whatever the answer was, Itachi concluded that he was past that point. Way past. This place, this scene…he had already been through it before. And many times after that in his nightmares.

Returning to the clutches of Orochimaru…that was all that it was.

His cell was bleak and it reeked- it burned his nostrils and it kept him from dozing off. _How long has it been? _Itachi thought. But overall his body and mind were in a state of numbness. It was for that reason, that when the door opened and the guard deposited something into his cell, that he didn't react.

Itachi just stared at the unidentified pile. It was almost an hour later that that unidentified pile started to move. Itachi's dark eyes watched as it took the form of a human. It sat with it's legs sprawled before it.

Itachi turned his eyes upward and found himself staring into dark eyes that were eerily similar to his own. For a moment, Itachi believed that he was staring at himself. Albeit a younger version of himself…but it was still a version of him.

And then the version spoke. A voice that was deep and that filled his ears, making the numbness that had surround his heart ebb away.

"Brother."

-End of Chapter Twenty-One

A/N: I know I probably didn't portray Sasuke as what you would of liked when he had gotten captured, But it had to be done.


	23. Chapter 22

TTP,TTK

Chapter 22

A/N: It's been over a year since my last update,…I'm not sure if anybody is still following my story and hell, I don't blame you. But even if I left for that impromptu hiatus I'm not one to abandon my fics. So, here's the next chapter, a year in the making- as it was always on the back of my mind but never quite made it on paper.

-Chapter 22-

…

-Last Time on TTP,TTK-

Itachi wondered just how insane a person must be to get used to such torture and cruelty. Whatever the answer was, Itachi concluded that he was past that point. Way past. This place, this scene…he had already been through it before. And many times after that in his nightmares.

Returning to the clutches of Orochimaru…that was all that it was.

His cell was bleak and it reeked- it burned his nostrils and it kept him from dozing off. _How long has it been? _Itachi thought. But overall his body and mind were in a state of numbness. It was for that reason, that when the door opened and the guard deposited something into his cell, that he didn't react.

Itachi just stared at the unidentified pile. It was almost an hour later that that unidentified pile started to move. Itachi's dark eyes watched as it took the form of a human. It sat with it's legs sprawled before it.

Itachi turned his eyes upward and found himself staring into dark eyes that were eerily similar to his own. For a moment, Itachi believed that he was staring at himself. Albeit, a younger version of himself…but it was still a version of him.

And then the version spoke. A voice that was deep and that filled his ears, making the numbness that had surround his heart ebb away.

"Brother."

…

-Flashback-

A twenty year old Itachi looked down at his hands and couldn't look away. They were covered in blood. His dark eyes glanced beyond his hands and onto the carpeted floor that was also covered in blood. He followed the trail, slowly, dread filling him up and his nerves shaking. He was scared. He was never scared. But, right here, he was scared because he knew what he would see.

And sure enough, not too far way, surrounded by that red-red blood, were the bodies of his parents. For days, for _months_, a voice inside his head was driving his actions and thoughts. It was the voice of Orochimaru. He was brainwashed. Conditioned to commit murder. And not just any kind of murder. Orochimaru called it a cleansing. The act of getting rid of his consciousness. To destroy the last of his humanity. Orochimaru brainwashed him to get rid of the most important thing to him. His family.

His dark eyes were memorized by the sight of them; lifeless, unmoving, and perfectly still. A part of him broke. How could this have happened? Before he could wrap his mind around it, a small sound reached his ears. Itachi froze in place.

"Ita…Itachi?" Came a tiny voice behind him.

Itachi turned to face his younger brother. The thirteen year old was standing by the front door of their home. The door being blown open further due to the evening air entering; the moving of the curtains on the other side of the room becoming distracting because they resembled the color of blood.

Sasuke was wearing his school uniform, looking awfully young, and his backpack slowly slid down his shoulder and hit the floor. The two brothers locked eyes and neither could look away. Sasuke's eyes were filled of confusion, fear, and shock- all those emotions mixed together and making the young boy unable to move or speak.

Itachi knew at once what he must do. And he knew that he was going to miss his little brother very much.

-End of Flashback-

…

Itachi's breath caught in his throat. His dry tongue feeling swollen and hindering him from speaking. What he had thought was a version of himself wasn't. It was Sasuke. It was his little brother. Itachi's vision and mind cleared rapidly. He was suddenly wide awake. "Sasuke," he said, breathlessly.

The sound of his voice seemed to float in the air above them. A few moments passed, where Itachi and Sasuke kept eye contact, each drinking in the sight of the other. Itachi didn't want to think on how he most look like; with his hands and legs chained to the wall behind him, his clothes torn and covered in filth, and his hair and skin looking dreary and pale.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Sasuke began to move. He brought in his once sprawled-out legs, putting them underneath him as he began to stand. Itachi wasn't even five feet away and crossing the distance between them should have been easy and fast. But it wasn't like that at all. With each step, Sasuke seemed to falter. His body becoming tense and his eyes growing uncertain.

Itachi noticed and he didn't blame his younger brother. He had killed their parents. He had killed them in cold-blood. Their bodies were on the floor, surround by blood, so much blood, when Sasuke returned home from school. He could perfectly remember every detail of that moment and Itachi knew that Sasuke could too.

Finally, Sasuke stood in front of Itachi. Itachi was still sitting on the cold, stone floor of the cell, unable to gather up any strength to raise to his feet. Itachi had to crane his head up to look at Sasuke's face but with the poor lighting of the room it was covered in shadow.

Sasuke kneeled down. One knee and one hand touching the floor for balance as Sasuke used his other hand to move a long strand of hair out of Itachi's face. "I've waited a long time for this day," Sasuke said, tonelessly and barely above a whisper.

…

Multiple flashlights laid on the ground, some were propped up by small fragments of debris, and they brought much needed light to the dark tunnels. Naruto was laying face-up on the floor, motionless. The air felt stuffy and smelled sour. The resulting dust from the explosions took a long time to settle and Gaara was in the middle of removing rubble away from the blocked tunnel entrance when Naruto woke up with a gasp.

The blond-haired agent had immediately tried to sit up but only ended up spitting a curse from the sudden pain that enveloped his body. His blue-eyes looked down to see that he was shirtless and that blood-stained bandages littered his chest. Memories came rushing back- The fight with Hidan, the exploding of the tunnels…Sasuke.

"Sasuke!" He exclaimed. His throat felt raw and he immediately went into a fit of coughs. Gaara was at his side instantly. The redhead had a bottle of water and he placed it by Naruto's mouth and helped him drink a generous amount. "Sasuke," Naruto said again, after he was finished drinking. He tried to sit up again but was pushed down by Gaara.

"Don't move, Naruto. You're injured." Gaara spoke, his monotone voice seeming to echo throughout the devastated tunnels.

Naruto looked up at him with narrowed eyes. He gripped the collar of Gaara's shirt and pulled him down until the redhead's face was directly illuminated by a nearby flashlight. "How long have I been out? And don't you dare lie to me, Gaara."

Gaara's sea-green colored eyes locked with his. Naruto knew Gaara, he could read his expression easily. Gaara was hesitant to answer but they both knew that he wouldn't lie. "Almost six hours."

Naruto's head fell back onto the cold, dust-covered tunnel floor in misery. He released his grip on Gaara and felt as though he was being crushed. It hurt to breathe, and it wasn't because of the injuries. Sasuke was gone. He had failed. Failed! Six hours! Anything and everything could happen in six hours!

Naruto had closed his eyes, his throat still burned and it wasn't from all the dust. He felt like crying. He forced his eyes open, "Kakashi?" he asked, dreading the answer.

Gaara shook his head, his red-locks thick with dirt and dust. "I saw a portion of the ceiling collapse on him when the explosions occurred."

"Shit…" Naruto cursed.

Gaara faintly smiled. "Don't worry. Such a thing won't kill that guy. Remember, he's the stuff of legend."

Naruto knew Gaara was trying to cheer him up and he was grateful. He nodded his head in agreement. "I can believe that." He looked past Gaara to the blocked tunnel. "Any luck on getting us out of here?"

"No," Gaara confessed. "The tunnel is completely blocked. I tried moving some of the more larger pieces but it's getting us nowhere. It looks like we are going to have to backtrack and find another set of tunnels."

"Shit…And Shikamaru's the only one that had the blueprints for these godforsaken tunnels. Shit!"

"Don't be so quick to admit defeat, Naruto." Gaara spoke, a smile forming on his lips. "I memorized the schematics just in case of a situation like this one."

Naruto blinked up at him and then laughed. The movement of his bouncing chest creating spikes of pain but he ignored it. "Fuck. I forgot just how damn…" Naruto paused to find a fitting word, "…awesome you are!"

Gaara moved forward and helped Naruto to his feet. The blond slung an arm around Gaara's shoulder for much needed support. The redhead's frame seemingly slender beside Naruto's muscled build and taller height.

After stuffing a flashlight into Naruto's free hand, Gaara wrapped his arm around Naruto's waist to steady him after he swayed with dizziness. "Can you walk?"

"Don't start asking stupid questions when I had just decided you were awesome, Gaara. Of course I can walk! The question is: Which way do we go?"

The red-haired agent didn't answer, instead lifting his chin in the direction. Naruto resolutely started to walk. The pain from the wound on his chest didn't compare with the pain in his heart. He had failed Sasuke. He had failed Itachi. But he knew, _just knew_, that he was going to make it up to them. He might be running late, running six hours late, but then again- The hero always makes a late entrance, right?

They walked slowly. Each step making a jolt of pain strike his nervous system and the blood rush to his head, but he ignored it. Finally a small tunnel, that had a lowered ceiling, appeared to their left and Naruto began to make his way toward it until Gaara held him back.

"Not that way," he said.

"Why not?"

"That tunnel leads back to the surface. This is actually the tunnel Shikamaru and Temari went into when they retreated."

"Okay. But if we're not going back to the surface- Where are we actually going?"

Gaara grunted as he and Naruto continued to move past the small tunnel. "Do you remember when those friends of Sasuke's were told to turn back?"

"Ah, the weirdo and the giant. Yeah, I think so. There was a fork in the road, well _tunnel_, and the big guy said that both tunnels were recently traveled. Before we went down one of them, Temari was the one to turn them away since we didn't need that guy's tracking skills anymore. I remember that cause Temari punched that weirdo."

"Exactly. I believe we went down the wrong path. This path led us straight into that ambush. We're going to make our way back to that fork and take the other path."

Naruto stilled and Gaara was forced to stop walking. Naruto spoke slowly, his voice deeper than it usually is. "Do you think…Do you think that the other tunnel was the one Orochimaru went down? That this whole thing was a messed up detour and that we coulda already be at Orochimaru's location if it wasn't for that one mistake."

Gaara was blunt, "I'm afraid so, Naruto."

Naruto groaned, his limbs suddenly feeling heavy and Gaara having to support him even further. "Fuck. Fuck," he repeated. Suddenly he noticed that the angrier he felt the weaker he felt. "Man, how I hate this so fucking much! I hate these fucking tunnels!"

Gaara agreed and prompted them to start walking again.

…

Juugo, the giant, as Naruto called him, was stomping his way through the grimy tunnels without hesitation.

"Please! Oh, please, Juugo, not this again!" Suigetsu practically cried out. He gripped Juugo's forearm and tried to pull but it only succeed on making Juugo walk faster and drag poor Suigetsu with him. "Sasuke's okay! You saw that for yourself. He has five, FIVE, armed men with him. Stop!"

Juugo didn't stop at all and he spoke over his shoulder, not even bothering to look at Suigetsu. "There was an explosion. The tunnel was shaking. Sasuke's in danger."

Suigetsu cussed under his breath in defeat. They were so close. So very close of getting out of those god forsaken tunnels until a loud explosion suddenly quaked the walls. The next thing he knew, Juugo was walking back the way they came. And nothing Suigetsu said could stop him.

He had no choice but to follow. Even though he was also worried about Sasuke, he had known the man for almost a decade after all, he really didn't want any part of whatever was going on. Hell, it looked complicated and Suigetsu hated complicated things. Juugo was such a lose cannon and he was contemplating on just leaving, Juugo wouldn't notice after all, but before he decided the giant came to a halt.

Suigetsu was about to voice his delight. Did Juugo finally see through his rampage and come back to his senses? The answer is no. Juugo halted because right before them were two guys. Suigetsu squinted his eyes, it was still dark and the light from the flashlight they were holding was a great contrast, it blinded him. Beside him he noticed that Juugo had covered his eyes as well.

"Sasuke?" Suigetsu called out. "That better be you, man!"

"Nope. How I wish though," said a low voice that sounded vaguely familiar. The bright light of the flashlight was turned down to illuminate and tunnel floor and for the speakers' face to be revealed. It was the tall blond-haired guy that was with Sasuke earlier. And beside the blond-haired guy was the red-haired psycho that stole his energy bar.

"You two!" Suigetsu yelled.

Juugo didn't yell but his quite voice was still menacing, "Where is Sasuke?" he asked them.

The blond-haired guy groaned and buried his head into the palm of his hand, his other hand was wrapped around the other guy for support- since it seemed like he was injured. "Sasuke's gone," he whispered.

Although it was a whisper, Juugo and Suigetsu heard him loud and clear. "What the hell do you mean _he's gone_, Blondie!" Suigetsu screamed, all the while having the sense to grab Juugo's forearm because the giant looked about ready to charge. "Did you have a blond moment and suddenly lose him or something?"

The blond removed his hand from around the redhead, losing the support and wobbling slightly on his feet as he advanced toward Juugo and Suigetsu. He got close enough so that they could see the blue color of his eyes. "What did you say! And where the hell do you get off yelling at me like that! And my name isn't 'Blondie' either, it's Uzumaki Naruto!"

"Well, Na-ru-to," Suigetsu pronounced his name as though it was the most stupidest thing in the world. "You didn't answer my question! Where is Sasuke?"

Naruto didn't say anything and Suigetsu got the impression that the guy was going to cry or punch him in the face. And he didn't like either. Suigetsu instead turned toward the redhead who had made his way toward them also. "How 'bout you, Klepto? Care to tell us where Sasuke is?" Suigetsu asked, getting more and more impatient while the redhead continued to stare at them with a blank expression.

Juugo it seems was also getting impatient. "I heard loud explosions. I think a portion of the tunnels collapsed and I want to find Sasuke to see if he's okay."

"You and I both," Naruto muttered and then sighed. "Look, it seems like you guys are good friends with Sasuke…"

"We're his best friends, fucker." Suigetsu interrupted.

Naruto raised an eyebrow but he didn't feel much like arguing anymore, "Okay, best friends. But the fact is that Sasuke has been…well, kidnapped."

"You got to be shitting me…"

"Gaara and me are tracking them down right now." Naruto continued, as though he wasn't interrupted which just pissed Suigetsu off all the more.

"You two should make your way out of these tunnels. If you were to encounter anybody else down here you would be killed." Gaara said calmly.

"Killed?' Suigetsu repeated, his face turning pale with shock. He just knew that something complicated was going on. Now it wasn't just complicated, it was freakin' dangerous. He was about to tell Juugo that they should get out of there when the giant suddenly took a step toward Naruto and bowed.

"I ask that you take us with you." Juugo asked formally.

"What?" Suigetsu shrieked, "I'm not going anywhere with these guys!"

Juugo was still bowing, "I ask that you take me," he rephrased smoothly.

Naruto quickly became uncomfortable since the big guy was still bowing formally and Suigetsu became disgusted.

"We accept," said a voice beside them. Suigetsu and Naruto turned toward Gaara in surprise. Juugo only smiled gratefully.

"Gaara, they're civilians…" Naruto argued.

"Did you forget about Juugo's tracking abilities, Naruto? He can be of help. And besides, I have a feeling that if we refuse he will follow us anyway."

Naruto sighed with acceptance. "Fine. But if you guys slow us down or get in our way I won't hesitate to shoot you."

Suigetsu threw his arms up in the sky dramatically. "Am I the only sane person here!"

"You can go back if you like, Suigey." Juugo said gently.

Suigetsu scoffed. "I'm already lost, hell if I get more lost in these tunnels. I'm with you."

Naruto couldn't help but laugh. "How the hell do you get 'more lost'."

"Shut it, Blondie! You are already on my nerves!" Suigetsu moved forward and pointed a finger in Naruto's face.

Despite his injures Naruto grabbed the finger and twisted it until Suigetsu fell to his knees.

"Ahhhh! Leggo!"

"Say please."

"Fuck you! Ahhh!"

After a few minutes of back and forth Naruto finally released Suigetsu and all four of them began to walk. Suigetsu and Juugo walked up front and Naruto and Gaara brought up the rear. Naruto leaned on Gaara for support, Naruto's injures hurting all the more since the conversation stopped and his mind was focused on the pain once more.

Naruto didn't notice how slow he was until suddenly Suigetsu turned toward him and hissed. "Goddamn, you're fuckin' slow! Are we determined to go at the pace of a snail! Because we are succeeding!"

Naruto's face flared up. "You!"

"Naruto," Juugo suddenly sounded. The giant kneeled down before Naruto, his back offered to the blond. "I will carry you, if you don't mind."

Naruto blinked, "Ah, no that's alright…"

"Come on, Blondie! It will be damn faster!"

Naruto couldn't find a reason not to. His face flared up again with anger and humiliation but he resigned himself after Gaara gave him a nod. "Fine!" Naruto placed his hands on Juugo's shoulders. The giant grabbed the back of Naruto's knees and lifted him up with ease. The blond felt terribly awkward but after the initial surprise he grinned. "Mush!" he shouted, still grinning and a hand flung forward.

_We're coming, Sasuke_!

…

Asuma grunted and rubbed his sore knuckles as he watched the man he just punched fall to the floor with a loud thud. "That was the last one," he announced to his teammates.

Kurenai came up behind him and her crimson-colored eyes watched as Asuma searched the enemies' body. They both smiled in approval when he pulled out a ring of keys and he tossed them to Anko who was waiting by the tall gate.

"Finally!" Anko cried. Her long fingers worked at the keys and she tried several on the gate. Beyond the gate was an amazingly large mansion where Orochimaru was laying in wait inside. Anko cussed in frustration after trying the fourth key, the key ring having over ten keys. "Shit," she cussed again. "I bet those two green smurfs are already inside."

…

Those two green smurfs were indeed already inside. While Asuma, Kurenai, and Anko stormed the front gates. Gai and Lee sneaked in through the back. Well, they hardly did any sneaking. As soon as they climbed the wall they both gave a victory shout that attracted the attention of every guard that was within shouting range.

They cleared the yard with ease, and after another victory cry, they entered the mansion by the back balcony.

"Wow!" Lee exclaimed, his large eyes roaming the decoration of the large room. "Even though Orochimaru is a bad guy, he has good taste in furnishing!"

"This is no time to admire the decorating skills of a madman, Lee." Gai said, his hands on his hips and looking like he's striking a pose.

"My apologies!" Lee shouted, bowing.

"I wouldn't exactly call Orochimaru a _madman_. I personally think he prefers _Villain_." Said a new voice, breaking into the conversation and standing at the entrance of the room.

Gai, still striking a pose, spoke in a loud, and what he probably thought was a menacing voice, toward the newcomer. "Who are you?"

The man bowed his head in introduction. Shoulder-length white hair falling around his face with the movement. "My name is Kimimaro. I have been sent to kill you."

"That is quite a mission!" Lee bellowed, adopting a fighting stance. "Gai-sensei, it appears our chance to enter this fight has finally presented itself!"

Gai smiled. "You're right. It's time for us to contribute. Kakashi and Naruto can't always have the fun."

Kimimaro pulled a bone-colored staff out from behind him and pointed it at them. "Who said that this will be fun?"

…

Anko gave a cry of victory when the gate's lock was finally released. "Thank god! Now we can go into that mansion and get that snake Orochimaru." She went past the gates, with Kurenai and Asuma behind her, and was prepared to cross the large front garden when someone stepped through the mansion doors.

Anko cursed under her breath and moved a strand of purple hair out of her face in frustration. "We were so close…" she whispered to herself. Kurenai and Asuma stepped up beside her and they faced their new enemy.

"I know you," Kurenai called, her crimson eyes narrowed and alert. "You're Deidara."

"The explosion expert, huh?" Asuma questioned, the cigarette in his mouth losing its flavor.

"Ah, so you've heard of me! Well, I shouldn't be surprised…I do make a huge impression! Haha!" Deidara laughed at his own joke as he made his way through the front garden toward them.

"How I hate lame jokes." Anko groaned.

Asuma shrugged. "I don't know, I thought it was pretty funny." He said with a smile, throwing his finished cigarette on the ground and crushing it under his shoe.

"You would." Anko grumbled. "Look, you guys," she said, looking at Asuma and Kurenai meaningfully. "I did not come all this way, spending an eternity just to get past that fuckin' gate, just to be stopped at the threshold."

Before anyone could blink she pulled out a handgun and fired two shots straight into Deidara's chest. Deidara staggered in mid-step, blood quickly working up his throat and spilling out of his mouth and down his chin. He hit the pavement hard, his body laying face-up and slightly shaking.

"There," Anko said, emotionlessly, holstering her weapon and making her way toward the fallen Deidara.

Kurenai shook her head in distaste and she waited, along with Asuma, for Anko to confirm the kill.

Anko kneeled before Deidara and she watched as he spit up some more blood because he began to laugh. The gun shots in his chest fatal. Deidara looked up at her and he smiled. Anko's confusion grew when he winked at her and said one word.

"Ka-boom."

Kurenai and Asuma were thrown back when a huge explosion erupted before them. Dust and rubble raining everywhere and their ears ringing. "Anko!"

-End of Chapter 22-


	24. Chapter 23

**TTP, TTK**

**Chapter 23**

**A/N:** The next Chapter is up!

…

Kurenai was laying on her side. Curled into herself in pain as she gasped for air and coughed from the dust that tainted it. She rolled onto her back and looked up at the setting sun, her head too heavy to do much of anything else.

Even though her ears were still ringing she heard Asuma, who wasn't too far away, cough and struggle to stand up. She felt his heavy footsteps through the ground, heard as he accidentally kicked at some rubble, and she knew that he was limping.

After a moment, dread filling her up, Kurenai joined him. She stood and saw Asuma making his way toward the two bodies that was by the entrance of the mansion.

The large flower garden, that was beyond the gate, was completely destroyed. Countless colorful flower petals were scattered on the pavement and many danced in the air, falling toward the ground in slow motion. It would have been a beautiful sight if it wasn't for the large indent in the ground, he broken pavement upsetting the environment and the dust slightly darkening the sky.

Deidara was beyond recognition. His body was charred and he was missing a couple of limbs. As for Anko, her clothes were blackened and was burned off in most places. It was obvious that she had tried to shield herself because her forearms had took most of the damage. Anko's face was covered with grime and Kurenai covered her mouth to stop the stench of burning flesh from reaching her lungs. "Anko…" she whispered, saddened by these turn of events.

Asuma stiffly moved to kneel down beside the fallen Anko. Kurenai knew that Asuma was angry, she could see it in his face, and she knew from experience that his anger wouldn't let him speak or move properly for a while. She watched as he checked for Anko's pulse and that dread that she had felt before threatened to fully engulf her when he shook his head in the negative.

Anko was dead.

They both stood there. Their limbs and hearts aching as they paid their respects in silence. After a minute or so, Asuma grasped her hand, he gave a slight tug and together they walked up the mansion stairs and through the doors.

…

Agents, especially those employed in such a large and accomplished company such as KAGE, are known for their stealth. Well, they are supposed to be. Stealth didn't seem to apply to Naruto though.

Our blond-haired agent was making quite a ruckus. Thud after thud echoed through the cellar. Each thud growing louder than the first. Finally, the trap door they were under gave way. It swung open and banged loudly against the wall behind it. The chain that was holding it closed- broke into several pieces and scattered onto the floor.

Naruto grunted out a victory cry and gingerly climbed out of the tunnels and through the trap door. "Finally!" Naruto cried. His blue eyes watched as Gaara, Suigetsu, and Juugo climbed through the trap door also. The giant closed the door behind them and all four of them took in their new surroundings.

There was a single light bulb hanging from the ceiling and the corners of the large room were covered in shadow. Naruto couldn't help but find it all a little creepy.

"Where the hell are we, Gaara?" Naruto asked.

The redhead was scanning the environment with narrowed eyes. "It looks like we're in a basement of some kind. I believe it is that of Orochimaru's mansion. It also appears to be a wine cellar, Naruto." He answered, even though that was pretty obvious.

"Basement, huh? No wonder I find it creepy." Naruto muttered.

Suigetsu pushed his way past Naruto and raced to the nearest rack of wine bottles. He wiped the dust off the bottles with care and his eyes widened comically. "Damn," he whispered in awe, "there is some good stuff in here…"

The cellar was huge. The walls were made up of stone and so was the floor. The air was cool, just a bit over normal room temperature, and there was easily over fifty racks of wines. Each rack nearly touching the ceiling of the dungeon.

"Juugo," Suigetsu practically screamed, "we hit the jackpot! There's thousands, no _millions_, of dollars worth of wine here!"

Naruto frowned. "Hey! Did you guys forget why we're here? Keep your voice down. We're in enemy territory!" he yelled.

Gaara was tempted to roll his eyes. "Follow your own advice, Naruto."

Naruto blinked. "Oh! Fuck, sorry, Gaara."

"I think I'm the one you should apologize to." Said a new voice from across the room. "You have disturbed my nap."

The four of them stilled in surprised. Naruto grabbed onto Suigetsu's shoulder and threw him back into Juugo's chest. He gave Juugo a pointed look and Juugo nodded his head in understanding.

Naruto and Gaara walked side by side, past a few wine racks until they saw who else was in the dungeon with them. They saw a young woman standing beside a large cot that was up against the far wall. On the cot, a sickly man sat, his shoulder-length black hair covering half his face. He was pale and his cheekbones were pronounced, as was his collarbone that showed through his loose black shirt.

The woman held out her hand and helped the sickly man stand up.

After a moment, where each person took turns staring at each other. Naruto asked, "Who are you?"

The man coughed into his hand and inclined his head in introduction. "My name is Nagato. And this is Konan." He said, gesturing to the young woman by his side.

The blond-haired agent straightened his back, "My name is Uzumaki Naruto and this is Gaara." Naruto tilted his head toward the redhead and his blue-eyes hardened as he asked his next question. "Do you work for Orochimaru?"

The man nodded his head.

"Then I'm sorry to say that we are enemies." Even as Naruto spoke the words he wished how it wasn't so. He was tired of fighting Orochimaru's subordinates and not Orochimaru himself. He was tired of fighting in general. He wanted to find Sasuke. He _needed_ to find Sasuke. Not to mention Itachi. He didn't have time for this.

Gaara, it seems, was able to read his mind. "When the opportunity presents itself, Naruto, escape and leave this encounter to me."

Naruto turned toward Gaara in surprise. "Are you sure?"

Gaara nodded his head.

Naruto gave a graceful smile and felt renewed.

_Hold on, Sasuke, I'm coming_!

…

Itachi stared at his younger brother but he might as well have been staring at a stranger. This wasn't the Sasuke he had left behind. This is the Sasuke that Itachi's actions caused him to become. A young man whose life was twisted and thrown into confusion and who had grown up in anger. Sasuke was no longer his innocent little brother.

"I have imagined the day when we would meet again millions of times, Itachi." Sasuke said, his tone of voice staying low and without obvious emotion. "I planned on killing you."

Itachi lowered his head at that statement, letting the shadows of the room cover his face. He had known of this possibility, anticipated it, and he fully accepted it. If he was to die, he would gladly take amends for his sins by Sasuke's hand. Wait, planned?

"Planned?" Itachi rasped out, unable to hold back his confusion. "What do you mean?"

Suddenly, Sasuke smiled. It was sad, small, barely visible, but it was there. _'I know everything now_' Was what that smile stated.

Itachi just continued to stare. His skin itched and his eyes burned. The air in the room feeling heavier and lighter at the same time. After a moment he asked, "Did Naruto tell you?"

Sasuke shook his head, setting himself on the floor so that their knees were almost touching. "Gaara did."

"Oh," Itachi really didn't know what else to say.

Sasuke made a noise between a grunt and a sigh. "Out of the millions of encounters I imagined, this was not included." Sasuke shook his head in apparent exhaustion. "Even after I heard your side of the story, a part of me still wanted to kill you. To be able to seek retribution for my, _our, _parents. To somehow justify the anger and pain I felt. But…" Sasuke locked eyes with Itachi. "My soul is calm enough now to hear your half of the story, in your own words. I will listen to whatever you have to say."

Itachi released a relieved, hushed laugh, his chest taking in much needed air, and the muscles in his arms slightly flexing- causing the chains to rattle in the background. "I have to admit that I wasn't expecting this. What…What brought this about?"

"My own reaction is a surprise to me." Sasuke agreed. He suddenly gave a shrug. "It was Naruto's devotion to you that I couldn't dismiss."

"Naruto, huh?"

Sasuke ran a hand through his hair. "Naruto told me about how you sent him to be my bodyguard. He also told me that you saved his life."

"Ah." Itachi suddenly grew quiet and after a moment he whispered. "Are you sure you want to know, Sasuke? Because I won't leave anything out."

Sasuke gave a resolute nod of his head even though his fists were curled and his knuckles were white.

Itachi inhaled through his mouth and exhaled slowly. This was a story he only had the strength and courage to tell once in a lifetime.

…

Tsunade gulped down a mouthful of coffee only to discover that it had gotten cold. She grimaced from the taste and slammed a hand onto her desk in anger. "Where is my updated report on the Task Force? And someone reheat my damn coffee, it got cold again."

A random assistant ran up to her desk and took the cold cup of coffee away to reheat.

Tsunade turned her angry gaze to Genma who was standing beside her desk. "Well?" She demanded.

"What?" Genma asked unfazed.

Tsunade's temperature rose five degrees. "The. Updated. Report." She gritted out.

Genma did a one-shoulder shrug, the toothpick in his mouth moving back and forth. "I told you that when I got any news I will tell you right away." Tsunade narrowed her eyes and was about to choke the life out of him when suddenly his phone began to ring. Genma peeked at the caller id and smiled. "Ah, it's the Task force." He was about to answer it but Tsunade swiped the phone away and answered it herself.

"Hello!" She roared.

Genma watched as Tsunade's face morphed into different expressions. First, it looked like she approved. Then she looked concerned. And then she was crestfallen.

"I see," Tsunade whispered. "I understand. Best of luck on completing your mission. Yes. Bye."

She hung up the phone and looked dejectedly at her desk and at the countless papers that littered it. Genma waited a moment before he asked, "What happened?"

Tsunade sighed, suddenly looking much older. "It seems that Anko has fallen."

"Anko?" Genma lowered his eyes in respect. He had worked with her before, she was an excellent agent. He was sad to hear of her passing. "Was it Orochimaru?"

Tsunade shook her head and leaned back into her chair in sudden fatigue. "No, it was the bomb expert, Deidara. He confronted them before they got through the entrance of Orochimaru's mansion."

"I see," Genma replied, "And the others?"

"Kurenai and Asuma escaped the explosion with only slight injures. They said they would proceed with their mission. As for Gai and Lee, there hasn't been word from them, but they should have infiltrated the mansion by now." Tsunade rubbed the bridge of her nose in frustration. "Damn it!" She cursed. "If only I had a status report on Naruto's team. My constant worrying over that brat is going to send me to an early grave."

Genma grunted in agreement and he watched as an assistant brought Tsunade her reheated coffee. Tsunade grumbled a thanks and took a swig and just as readily spit it out. "Has the milk gone sour? This coffee is horrible! Give me a fresh cup, tea this time, and check the milk!"

The assistant cowered under Tsunade's loud voice and rushed to fulfill the order. From the left, another assistant approached the desk with a lowered head. "Tsunade, you have an agent reporting in."

Tsunade was grateful. "Show him in." Before the agent was fully through the doorway, Tsunade was out of her seat and across the room. "Shikamaru!"

The brunet bowed his head in respect.

"What happened?" Tsunade demanded.

Shikamaru sighed. His left arm was in a sling and he looked like he has seen better days. "We got ambushed in the tunnels." He began. "Temari and I both suffered gunshot wounds so we were forced to retreat. The others stayed behind."

Tsunade soaked up the information. Her blond hair looked disarrayed and her light-blue eyes were uncertain. "Does that mean that you don't have any recent news about Naruto and the others?"

Shikamaru nodded his head and Tsunade felt her temperature rise five degrees again. "Where is that goddamn tea!" She demanded of her staff.

…

Gai stood with his back facing the open balcony, the breeze ruffling his short black hair, as he watched his student engaged in combat with the enemy who called himself Kimimaro.

Gai had thought that he knew of all the men who worked under Orochimaru, but he had never heard of Kimimaro. At least he didn't think so. Well, now that he thought about it, Kimimaro _did_ look kind of familiar. Gai frowned. Maybe the guy just had one of those faces. Of maybe it was the white hair.

Kimimaro landed a hit at the back of Lee's knees and his student fell to the floor but he was able to roll and spring back up. It seemed that the enemy, who used a bone-colored staff, was fully versed in the art. He was able to keep Lee at a distance and Gai was curious on how his student would counter, seeing as Lee had yet to land a hit.

Kimimaro's plain, off-white gown resembled a hospital gown and Gai was distracted by the sight. How could anyone fight in such saggy clothing? He just didn't get it. He watched as Lee landed a hit but Kimimaro was able to counter the next. Gai finally realized what was happening.

Lee's fighting technique was too straight forward and predictable. Even though his student was fast, that staff seemed to defend against every possibility. Gai frowned as Kimimaro landed a hit on Lee's gut, knocking the wind out of him.

"Do you wish me to intervene, Lee?" he called to his student. He already knew the answer but he figured it would only boast Lee's determination.

"No need, Gai-sensei. He is my opponent and I will defeat him."

Gai nodded his head in approval and he watched as the two circled each other. Now he was sure that he recognized Kimimaro! But from where?

Kimimaro twirled the staff with a flick of his wrist and he zeroed his gaze on Lee. "I serve Orochimaru and his enemies are my enemies. I will be the one to defeat you."

Lee thought of a cool comeback, but he was unable to vocalize it because in the next second a bird whistle cut through the air and caught both their attentions. Lee watched as Kimimaro turned toward the source in surprise and got a fist in the face for it. The guy went down in an instant. Above the unconscious form of Kimimaro stood Asuma, he was rubbing his knuckles with annoyance.

"Why are the two of you fooling around?" Asuma called. For once he didn't have a cigarette in his mouth.

Kurenai stepped into the scene, her hair wild and her crimson eyes brighter than ever. "We don't have time for this. Come on!" She cried, and gestured for the two green smurfs to follow her.

Gai blinked at the two of them in bewilderment. "Why are your clothes torn and burnt. I had heard an explosion before but I didn't think much of it." He turned his head side to side. "Where's Anko?"

Gai knew the moment it left his mouth what the answer was. His eyes hardened and he spoke in a uncharacteristic firm voice. "Let's go, Lee."

All four of them ventured deeper into the mansion together, determined more than ever.

…

"What are you doing, Suigetsu?" Juugo mumbled.

Suigetsu had removed his shirt and he began to pack random wine bottles inside. "What the hell does it look like I'm doing, Juugo? I'm stealing!" Suigetsu waved his free hand about. "Well, aren't you going to help me!"

Juugo frowned. "How can I help?"

"Gimmie your shirt."

Juugo shrugged his large shoulders and complied. Suigetsu made a noise of approval and continued to pluck more wine bottles out of the racks and into the shirts. "How would you be able to leave with so many bottles, Suigey?" Juugo asked.

Suigetsu rolled his eyes. "Through the tunnels, of course. No way am I sticking around those freaks any longer."

"Then you're leaving by yourself because I'm not leaving till I find Sasuke."

Suigetsu groaned in annoyance. "Goddamn it! Sasuke's a big boy! He can take care of his damn self! You are going to lead me back through those tunnels and we are going home!"

Juugo crossed his arms. "No, I ain't ."

Suigetsu was about to explode but he held his tempter in check. "Fine. Fine! Lets see…That redhead said that we were in some kind of basement. Inside a mansion, right?" Suigetsu furrowed his brows in concentration. "If we're in such a fancy mansion, that must mean that Sasuke's kidnappers live here. If that's true, then we just have to find some stairs and go up!" Suigetsu grinned. "All I have to do is walk out the front door! Fuck those tunnels! Come on, Juugo, help me steal some more wine bottles! Gimmie your pants!"

Juugo suddenly looked embarrassed. "But I'm not wearing any underwear."

"Who gives a shit! Gimmie your pants!"

Juugo shrugged off his pants and he was now completely naked. He watched as Suigetsu tied the ends of the pants and began to throw many more wine bottles inside.

"Okay!" Suigetsu wheezed in satisfaction. His arms were so full of stolen goods that he staggered for balance. "Juugo, listen carefully…"

Juugo leaned toward Suigetsu in order to hear better.

"I want you to rush those guys ahead. Tackle them, push him, I don't give a damn what you do- Just clear me a path so that I can find some stairs and get out of this dungeon. Got it?"

"Yeah, I can do that."

Suigetsu grinned, "Well, like our main man, Captain Picard, says- Make it so!"

…

Gaara and Naruto were holding a steady front. It was a classic stare-off. He wasn't sure who would make the first move and quite frankly the guy named Nagato looked like he could barely stand on his own two feet. He wasn't too sure about the girl, Konan, either. She didn't look like a fighter, she didn't even looked armed.

But Naruto knew that looks could be deceiving. So he waited. Waited for a sign, an opening, _something_. And then the oddest thing occurred. The last thing in the world that he expected to happen, to _ever_ happen…well, happened.

A giant-naked-man, aka Juugo, rammed into Naruto's shoulder- knocking him into Gaara and into a rack of wine bottles- causing the whole thing to collapse and start a domino effect.

The giant-naked-man, aka Juugo, then processed to grab the fragile-looking-Nagato, who by the way looked like he just saw a ghost or (you guessed it) a giant-naked-man, and threw him into Konan. The two of them hit the stone wall hard and fell to the floor in a dazed heap.

And to make things weirder, since it wasn't weird enough, a half-naked man with shirts full of wine bottles, ran like hell was at his heels through the aisle and up the stairs.

Naruto lost his breath from mere shock. "What!" he rasped, "What the fuck was that?"

Gaara shook his head, equally bewildered. "I have no idea." The redhead gestured to the two unconscious figures in the corner and to the open staircase. "But we got our opening."

**-To Be Continued-**

**A/N:** I had a lot of fun writing that last part. I was laughing to myself and typing all the while. I know you guys wanted to see more of the Uchiha Brothers, but the more I tried to put in- the more unnatural it felt. That section above took me three rewrites to prefect. They'll appear in the next chapter- so no worries about that.

Now the moment of truth- **The next chapter wont be put up for at least two weeks. **I've probably mentioned it before but the computer and internet I use aren't mine. I borrow them sporadically, it's the reason why my updates are all over the place and why I can't reply to reviews. I simply don't have the time or the means. But, oh, how I love your guy's reviews and encouragement. And as always, Thank you for reading!


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